Tech giant to sell music online

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 | 9:52 a.m.

REDMOND, Wash. -- After months of speculation, Microsoft on Monday confirmed plans to enter the increasingly crowded online music market, putting it in competition with companies such as Apple and Napster.

Microsoft's MSN online service is working on an online music download service that will start next year, Lisa Gurry, group product manager for MSN, said in a statement.

Gurry and other Microsoft representatives provided few other details about the new service. A spokeswoman said decisions about how much songs or subscriptions would cost are still pending.

Details aside, just the fact that the Redmond, Wash., softwaremaker -- with $32 billion in annual revenue -- is throwing its considerable weight into the online music gold rush is important news in the $31 billion worldwide record industry.

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