RealNetworks shakes with SanDisk for Rhapsody tie-in

By Simon Aughton

Posted on 19 Sep 2006 at 11:20

RealNetworks has announced that starting this Autumn SanDisk will pre-load over 30 hours of music from Real's Rhapsody service on portable players in the US.

The partnership follows the introduction of Real's Rhapsody DNA, a new technology platform that enables device makers to integrate Rhapsody - Real's digital music service - with a range of portable and home devices

SanDisk will embed the technology in its range of Sansa e200 players, providing users with integrated access to Rhapsody's subscription-based music, almost 32 hours of which will be pre-loaded. The players also include additional features such as automatic updates with new music based on a consumer's personal tastes and historical music preferences.

'Rhapsody DNA is an amazing innovation that puts the celestial jukebox into the consumer's pocket,' said Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO, RealNetworks. 'We can't imagine a better launch partner than SanDisk. Together, Real and SanDisk will soon deliver great new end-to-end experiences that make it easier and more fun than ever before for consumers to discover and enjoy music.'

It remains to be seen whether Real can attract any other player manufacturers, particularly those who currently rely on Microsoft's PlaysForSure technology for compatibility with digital music devices such as Napster and Yahoo! Music. A more likely outcome is that this partnership continues the trend for the integration of digital music services with portable player hardware, which has seen Microsoft introduce Zune and Samsung announce a tie-in with Music Net in an attempt to mimic the success of Apple's iTunes-iPod axis.