BigPond music for iPhone?

TELSTRA may try to create a vehicle for competition with Apple’s iTunes music download business on the 3G iPhone.

The iPhone is widely expected to inject new vigour into the mobile content market, but carriers won’t be able to use the handset as a conduit for their mobile music and video portals due to the restrictions of Apple’s iTunes copyright management system.

Sources close to Telstra said the carrier was working on a “work-around” that would overcome the problem.

A Telstra spokesman confirmed that the carrier was interested in using the device sell its content.

“Our entire focus has been on getting the iPhone ready for sale today and like all carriers we’ll be looking at more content options,” the spokesman said.

It is understood Telstra is working on a digital music player that will use content from BigPond Music.

Carriers have traditionally included branded mobile music portals on handsets locked to their networks through subsidised pricing plans, but Telstra and Optus have confirmed their portals won’t be available on the 3G iPhone.

Consumers will still be able to reach commercial online music sites using the iPhone’s web browser, but Apple’s iTunes Music Store will be the only portal available natively.

Traditionally, Apple has protected iTunes and its proprietary digital copyright management platform.

It prevents music purchased from rival online music stores being used on non-iPod digital music devices.

That was viewed as the major commercial limitation when NineMSN launched its online music download service in 2003, the platform upon which BigPond’s online music service is based.

Visit: www.apple.com.au