Microsoft latest attempt to spread its influence into new business areas - the MSN digital music store - could be online from as early as next month. The online music market, which archrival Apple"s iTunes store is mopping up around 70 per cent of, could see a Microsoft play from August, according to the Financial Times. The FT claims that while details of a pricing structure aren"t confirmed, the record labels are likely to give Microsoft terms similar to those they have given Apple - which would see Redmond peddling pop for 99 cents and 79p a track.
It"s thought that the service will be run on a pay-per-download basis - in the iTunes style - rather than on a subscription model, favoured by some song shops, such as Napster. The song shop is likely to appear as a feature on the MSN homepage - giving it a potential audience of 350 million visitors a month.