Vodafone prepares to battle Apple iPhone

Vodafone prepares to battle Apple iPhone

  8:43:00 PM    Science Lover

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With Apple claiming that the innovative iPhone has already reached the coveted 1 million unit sales point – less than three months since its June 29 launch – it’s safe to say that the touch-screen handset is already a storming success. Therefore, as the device’s European release looms, it’s perhaps unsurprising that network giant Vodafone is readying itself for war by spreading an impressive content offer before its customers.
With Apple apparently set to slip beneath the ‘exclusive carrier’ bed sheets with the O2 network for UK-based iPhone coverage, a rumour that could be officially confirmed before the close of the month, Vodafone has whipped the covers off a new deal that gifts users with music access for a mere £1.99 GBP per week, reports Channel 4 News.
Vodafone’s unlimited music download offer will certainly arrive as a boon for the network’s existing customers, though the Newbury-based company will likely be hoping the subsequent impact will attract a wealth of new users in the face of the considerable draw that O2 will revel in during the Christmas consumer rush.
For the £1.99 GBP per week charge, Vodafone customers will be given total access to any music held within the network, although widespread access for such a small amount will mean that track playback will be strictly limited to mobile phone handsets only. Users wishing to transplant music from their handsets to other digital devices will have to spend £0.99 GBP per song for the privilege.
Vodafone’s music downloads are to be delivered by Omnifone’s MusicStation via the Vodafone Live! Internet portal. More than 1 million songs will be made available from the likes of EMI Music, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, which are the world’s four biggest music publishers.
In other news, a Vodafone spokesperson has revealed that the company will introduce some 19 new handset devices in the build up to Christmas. These devices will include 2 new BlackBerry offerings along with 15 third-generation (3G) Internet phones from manufacturers such as Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson.