Owners of MP3 players and microSD-enabled phones will soon be able to listen to their favorite tunes without Digital Rights Management issues, passwords, or even an Internet connection.
SanDisk, together with Sony, Universal and Warner Bros., has developed microSD cards called slotMusic cards with “more stuff in less space.” The new cards will allow users to listen to preloaded music, videos and images from Sony, Universal, Warner Bros. and EMI.
SanDisk, which last week turned down a $5.9 billion acquisition offer from Samsung Electronics, has not yet made the cards or announced pricing. Carmella Lyman, a company spokesperson, said the cards will be available before the holidays in the U.S. on the Internet and at retail stores, including Best Buy and Wal-Mart. The cards will be available in Europe soon after they are offered in the U.S.
SanDisk chose two of the top three music retailers according to a consumer survey by NPD Group that included CDs and digital music downloads.
Daniel Schreiber, senior vice president and general manager of SanDisk, said the company has been innovative for decades and was at the forefront of replacing chemical film with digital film, and floppy disks with USB drives.
“Now, with billions of hosts already in consumers’ hands, slotMusic launches into an install base that few formats ever achieve,” Schreiber said. “Plus, its portability, openness and penetration into the mobile space are a perfect complement for the music industry.”
“This form of music delivery is perfectly suited for today’s mobile consumer,” said Thomas Hesse, president of global digital business and U.S. sales for Sony BMG Music Entertainment. “It’s unique, hassle-free entertainment that slots easily into a large number of mobile phones.”
The slotMusic cards will include a USB sleeve so they can be used with all computers, including Windows, Linux and Mac. Also with…