Recently within the last month Real Networks has released the Rhapsody App for the iphone and  ipod touch. The Rhapsody App is available for free as a   7 day trial download then it costs 14.99 a month plus taxes. Rhapsody’s streaming music service has been available on phones ever-since Verizon launched its V-CAST Media service. This service allows subscribers to stream and/or buy music through Rhapsody on V-cast ready phones. However Rhapsody’s entrance into the iphone platform gives users an easier interface that allows finding and streaming songs easier especially for veteran Iphone and Mac users. Comparing Verizon’s V-CAST to the app for iphone, I think Rhapsody’s App is cleaner and more user friendly but it can only stream music. If you want to buy any music through Rhapsody you cant  you have to use itunes. 

Even-though Apple doesn’t have a dominant percentage of smart-phone market-share it is on its way of doing so. This year Apple doubled its market-share worldwide and also topped 2 billion downloads through their App store as both iphones and ipod touch prices continued to get cheaper. For these reasons I believe that the Rhapsody app will be an extremely popular app for old Rhapsody users as well as people who don’t have enough time and money to fill up their iphones or ipod touches.  The only downside to this App is that its streaming bitrate is only 64 kilobits per second which is low quality but enough high enough for on the go listening. This figure will only go higher as infastructure improves.

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