Microsoft & Nokia Collaborate on Digital Music

Today at 3GSM World Congress in Cannes, Microsoft and Nokia announced an agreement to give Nokia handsets the benefit of Windows Media Audio and Windows Media Digital Rights Management 10.

Microsoft and Nokia are working to ensure consumers can enjoy music from the newly-launched Nokia and Loudeye mobile music service platform on both Nokia handsets and Windows XP-based PCs.

Using the latest technologies like Windows Media® Audio, Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) 10, Media Transfer Protocol (MTP), and support for Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) digital rights management, Microsoft have covered every base with Nokia. The software firm have even offered support for the MPEG Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) family of codecs in Windows Media Player via a plug-in.

The mobile music service from Nokia and Loudeye is based on the OMA DRM and MPEG AAC standards and enables a wireless operator's customers to search, listen, download and pay for music using an operator-branded music application on their mobile device. Windows Media Player is used for the PC component of the music solution, and wireless operators will be able to brand their music service when it is integrated into the Windows Media Player.

View: Microsoft Press Release