“It’s happening. Before you can use your mobile phone to purchase and download CD-quality audio tracks, you can use it to log on to the Apple online store and purchase an iPod for yourself or a friend…if you’re in Japan. Today Apple Japan quietly launched the Apple Store Mobile, a version of its online store that it has made accessible from Japanese mobile phones,” AppleInsider reports.
“The Web site address is only accessible when connecting from certain mobile handsets in Japan and disallows access to traditional Web browsers,” AppleInsider reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: Mobile users can exclusively access the service at http://applestore-mobile.jp, while other browsers will see a list of compatible handphones.
Japan already has a very active full song download market, as well as the worlds largest ringtone market. You can download AAC format full length tracks to many Japanese phones. AAC does not mean AAC plus FairPlay, however, so the tracks are not compatible with iTunes. The DRM requires you to play the song on your phone, or transfer using a secure memory card such as SD to another compatible device.
With 3 (very greedy) companies dominating the US cell market, one wonders what kind of deal Apple could make. The ‘breakup’ of AT & T years ago was supposed to bring about a true marketplace to the phone market. With SBC/Bell South (Cingular), Verizon and T-Mobile controlling most of the market, that’s just a pipe dream.
Checked it out. Works fine. Bookmarked it. Don’t usually browse the web much from my phone but this will be fun to show people.
Japanese are big! (metaforically speaking)
I just tried it also. Works great! I wonder why they launched this so quietly? The sign of bigger and better things to come.. I hope we get the iTunes Music store soon.
Jim
AAC files are compatible with iTunes. If they were created with another app and saved without DRM, they can be played with iTunes and be put on an iPod.