“While companies such as Apple and Amazon have finally moved to music download services free of copy protection, MSN Mobile locks tracks to the mobile handset they are downloaded to,” Barry Collins reports for PC Pro. “We spoke to Hugh Griffiths, Head of Mobile at Microsoft UK…”
Excerpts from the interview include:
Q: With the likes of iTunes and Amazon offering DRM-free music that you can play on any device, why would anyone choose the MSN Mobile service?
A: There may well be people who just want to listen to the track on their mobile alone.
Q: They can do that with iTunes and Amazon.
A: We will see what the outcome of this is.
MacDailyNews Take: We know the outcome already: Yet another “Blood on Apple iTunes Store’s play button” article for us.
Q: Why should I come to you instead of Amazon or iTunes?
A: We’re saying to them, if you want to download music, it’s available here. If you don’t, that’s fine.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft shareholders take note of the attitude. Then again, if you’re a Microsoft shareholder today, you likely can’t read.
Q: The fee for downloading tracks – £1.50 – is relatively high compared to 79p on iTunes and less than that on certain Amazon tracks. Why is that?
A: We’re constantly reviewing our pricing and if we feel this price point is incorrect, we’ll look to amend it.
Q: If I buy these songs on your service – and they’re locked to my phone – what happens when I upgrade my phone in six months’ time?
A: Well, I think you know the answer to that.
MacDailyNews Take: We assume the interview is real, but it sure does read like a comedy sketch.
Full interview here.
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft is so doomed. 
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Jonathan M.” for the heads up.]