Shazam sells iTunes songs

Shazam is hoping to capitalize on the growing mobile music market [subscription required]--which is expected to reach $610 million or 7 percent of the market in 2010--by offering users the ability to purchase iTunes songs instantly after using its technology to identify them using their mobile phones. The company will offer a catalog of more than three million songs from Shazam's partners, including Apple's iTunes, according to the report. The Wall Street Journal that the company offers its song identification service in UK for £3 per month or 50 pence per song and under other brands in other countries, such as T-Mobile. The service, launched in 2002, identifies a song by converting audio signals into digital code then matching its characteristics with those in a vast database of artists, albums and tracks, according to the report.

Since music downloads are costly in the UK, users will be able to download them to a Shazam internet account from which later they can download it to their PC. Currently, users place their headset near any audio source playing a song for 10 seconds and the service will then send a text message with relevant information such as artist, album, etc. The txt msg will also allow users to purchase the song. The report does not provide specifics about integration with Apple's iTunes, but Shazam's website appears to be an affiliate of Apple's iTunes. The site currently links physical albums purchases to Amazon.com and song downloads to the iTunes Music Store.

Other partners using the Shazam technology may also enable direct song downloads, although they are limited by handset storage, network bandwidth, and individual agreements with the labels, as each has their own digital music service.

by MacNN Staff