Rhapsody will sell MP3s in a new digital download store launched Monday for U.S. consumers, an offering that will pose fresh competition to Apple"s highly successful iTunes Music Store. The songs will not have DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology, which puts restrictions on how music can be transferred between devices and PCs, and will be compatible with Apple"s iPod line.
Music will come from most of the major record labels, which have increasingly moved to offer tracks without DRM in order to boost the attractiveness of buying music online. Rhapsody, which is owned by RealNetworks, will match Apple"s pricing: US$.99 per song, or $9.99 per album.