Independent record labels in France, Germany and the UK have signed a licensing deal to get their recordings on Sony’s fledgling Connect online music download service, as the company is making plans to launch the service in those countries in June. Sony’s in a race to get its service launched in Europe as Roxio and Apple do the same, according to Reuters. Sony’s service will launch in those countries with about 300,000 songs in its library, according to the report.
Roxio just launched Napster 2.0 in the UK, ahead of both Apple and Sony. Apple has said it will introduce its popular iTunes Music Store in Europe in 2004 but hasn’t said when, although Reuters cites sources who say that Apple could bring iTunes to Europe “by the middle of next month.” Neither music service has launched in the rest of Europe, however. Apple Vice President Pascal Cagni said in an interview last month that licensing, price and taxes within each country have complicated negotiations, but that Apple’s plans for iTunes Music Store in Europe are important enough “that a few months’ delay is not essential.”
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