While we have heard of Kiosks being proposed where users can create their own custom made music CDs, Inspired Broadcast Networks (IBN) is trying another Kiosk approach. Rather than deliver music on CDs, their vending machines will allow consumers to purchase music and upload their tracks to their portable audio player. Its publicity shows an iPod as an example, but as Apple has not licensed its Fairplay DRM technology there is a good chance that the audio format will likely be MP3.
IBN expects to do a trial run of 7,800 music download jukeboxes and games machines in various venues and pubs throughout the UK. Supported playback devices include portable digital audio players and mobile phones via USB or Firewire and memory cards, although it is not clear which type of players and memory cards these machines will support.
It is not clear what audio formats the player will support or the track pricing will be but its music library is expected to cover a vast 2 million songs. Following the trial period, IBN and its partners are expected to invest UK£50m to replace pub jukeboxes with these vending machines since these can also playback music. GristyMcFisty used our news submit to send in the following news:
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Inspired Broadcast Networks (IBN) will leverage its network of 7800 music jukeboxes and games machines, located in pubs and other venues throughout the country, to offer downloads to mobile phones and digital music players. Initially limited to a trial run, the service will be made available in a number of public venues, such as railway stations. IBN and its partners said they expect to invest £50m over the next two years replacing existing vending machines and entertainment devices with digital download-enabled equipment. IBN will formally launch the service on Wednesday, and is keeping details of the service - prices and catalogue range, for example - to itself for now. However, it is believed the machines will offer access to a massive 2m tracks, though how much of those are available for download rather than playback is not yet clear. Which format(s) the system will support isn't known either. Publicity photos show an iPod connected to a terminal. Since Apple hasn't - so far as we know - licensed its FairPlay DRM technology, or Real Networks its Harmony DRM conversion system, that implies MP3 downloads, but we can't see the music industry being happy with that. Windows Media seems the most likely format, which would cut iPod owners out of the picture. Songs can be downloaded via USB or Firewire, and to memory cards. |
With a good majority of the population either not familiar with online music services or do not trust using their credit card online, this would make a good alternative. Since these players support both the iPod and memory cards, there is a good chance that the music will be in the MP3 format. WMA DRM and other secure digital audio formats generally do not allow its content to be directly transferred to a memory card, since the contents cannot be locked to a given player. Also, if the vending machines work with players that only work through a drive letter (mass storage device), then chances are they will accept USB pen drives also :p
If these vending machines turn out to be a success, then this will really threaten physical album sales or at least those where there are only a few good songs in the whole album. On the other hand it would be interesting to see people to go into the pub to buy a pint and a few songs for their player.
Source: The Register
