Destra, GoConnect offer mobile music
The partnership will also allow consumers to receive music video clips on their desktop computers.
Destra's CEO Domenic Carosa said, "As the mobile phone increasingly becomes a multi-functional communication and mobile entertainment device, GoConnects m-Vision provides DestraMusic with the 'early mover' advantage in new service delivery for the mobile phone industry."
GoConnect's technology works by delivering high-quality content without interfering with download traffic by using the "vacant" space within the bandwidth.
GoConnect CEO Richard Li said the technology "will help to increase online music purchases by motivating the consumer to buy."
Veteran music analyst Phil Tripp is, however, apprehensive about the outcome of the technology in Australia.
"It is a gimmick, but if it is cost free at first, I think people will play with the uniqueness factor if bored. But if it costs or it's perceived as costing something because it's using up time, I think that people will not take it up as a sampling device," Tripp said.
Customers can access the free music sampling service, Music EV, on their PC by downloading the free GoTrek EV software from www.gotrek.com.au. Users of the Microsoft Windows Mobile powered Smartphones and Pocket PCs will download GoConnect's software at www.m-vision.tv to watch music video clips for a subscription fee.
The free sampling service will deliver a regular selection of 30-second music samples from the current chart in both video and audio formats and can be played by the customers on demand from a play list.
Tripp believes consumers will be bumping into several limitations for the mobile music service.
"As to the delivery of music videos on mobiles or PDAs, the real limitation is the clarity, size of screen and 'stutter rate' or smoothness of delivery. It is not an ideal medium to view music videos," Tripp said.
The partnership also involves establishing GoConnect's online music retail store Music EV Online, with the Music EV subscription providing full-length music videos to the customer for a set period of time.
Li said, "Consumers who do not want to purchase individual songs outright, can choose to purchase the subscription service. They will have the latest music videos delivered directly to their Microsoft Windows Mobile devices simply by pressing the update key on their phone once."
Although prices will be determined in 3-4 weeks, Li says they will be "attractive to online customers" familiar with the current download business model.
Tripp believes it is a funny way to go especially that "as phones and screens get smaller, ideas get larger for exploiting a diminishing medium."