Where Next for Comes With Music?

Published by Ewan Spence at 10:17 UTC, September 16th 2009

It's coming close to the one year anniversary of Nokia's all you can eat music service, “Comes With Music”, and that birthday is pretty important to those who picked up the first wave of devices from The Carphone Warehouse. Because the 'all you can download' part was only ever going to last a year... so the flow of bits and musical bytes is about to run out for the early adopters. Or is it? Read on for my thoughts.

Unlike mobile contracts, where you still have the phone and the networks still have the monthly payments, there's no announced route for Comes With Music owners to sign up for another year. The news from Nokia World was that various legal issues have been worked out with the music industry to allow those on the service to switch over to a monthly billed service, although details have not yet been announced.

Nokia's decision to not time-out the audio files at the end of the year is to be commended (after all, it would be quite evil to take away these huge music libraries now, wouldn't it?), but with this monthly billing they are probably hoping that users will stick with their Nokia phones, and of course make that monthly payment... because that payment level is going to be set by the individual networks, who could subsidise and promote the offer whichev er way they feel is best for their needs. Which is a win for Nokia (keeping them in the ecosystem) and a win for the networks (more revenue per user).

The Finns are going to have to get a move on to catch the initial waves of customers in the UK, and they're going to have to make some noise so everyone knows this is something that they're able to do. Up until now the assumption has always been that you had to buy a new phone to keep the Comes with Music service, which from a short-term point of view would be best for Nokia (sell a new phone every year? marvellous). In the current economic climate that's unlikely to happen.

This will now last a little longer...

One of the stumbling blocks on the subject of renewing Comes with Music by the new handset route is that most networks (at least in the UK) have got people on 18 or 24 month contracts and it's doubtful that they would pay the breakout fees just to grab their music subscription again. The big new handsets that will Come with Music, the X3 and the X6, were announced at NokiaWorld, but they aren't in the retail channels yet. They're also going to be relatively expensive for those that picked up the initial Series 40 device or the (old, even then) Nokia N95 8GB in the initial months of Comes With Music. So going to a monthly model for existing accounts is a win for everyone concerned.

Of course this expiry question was always going to happen, it's part of the DNA of the music store that they have built so there should be plans in place. It's unfortunate that Nokia haven't made a lot of press to say that this is happening beyond a minute or so at Nokia World.

Now that Nokia have moved away from the initial standing of "you have to buy a new phone at the end of the year" to something that's a lot more sensible, the next step seems to be obvious. Given the competition with other online music services that offer 'unlimited' music and are starting to move into the smartphone space (such as Spotify), Nokia need to be agile with their software services to keep ahead of the start-ups. Hardware cycles are measured in months if not years, but the software of the web can turn on a matter of a few days when something 'just works'.

Where does that leave Comes with Music? Well it's proven that it can adapt beyond the original mission - admittedly, with the huge amount of momentum behind the record companies it does take some time, so I wouldn't expect any more major changes before the end of 2009, but I would not be surprised to see Nokia allow new subscribers to join without requiring a phone purchase at some point early in Q1 2010. If Nokia are truly behind their services then the time to act is always now. I await their next move with keen interest.

-- Ewan Spence, Sept 2009.

News Discussion

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonshot I am not happy with Nokia because I bought my 5530 after reading all the spec. here...... http://europe.nokia.com/find-product...30-xpressmusic Reading this page it indicates that the 5530 does 'come with music'. After searching the box for the code to enter on the 'come with music' site I contacted Nokia and was told I should have read the page correctly. I will give the 'come with music' gimmic two years and then Nokia will stop it. So those who have downloaded all the free stuff will be ok until their handset needs replaced.

Moonshot,

Nokia "Comes With Music" phones are not ONLY available as a CWM bundle. They are ALSO, and more COMMONLY available WITHOUT the CWM element.

Indeed, the 5800XM, is also a CWM device. But on most of the UK nets, it is offered as a STANDARD normal handset only instead, WITHOUT the CWM bundling service.

And on the very page you refer to in your links, as much as it's described as a CWM phone (because in effect, it is, it is one of the select range of handsets Nokia have chosen to offer as a CWM service, as well as a normal handset package), then if you click the Full Specifications link, it tells you the box contents are:

* Nokia 5530 XpressMusic
* Nokia Battery BL-4U
* Nokia Travel Charger AC-8
* Nokia Short Connectivity Cable CA-101
* Nokia Stereo Headset WH-205
* Nokia 4GB microSD memory card MU-41
* MiniDVD
* User GUide

No mention of the CWM Activation card there, and that's from the page you refer to.

And moreover, at the footnotes, it makes it clear that:

"The availability of particular products, services and features may vary by region. Please check with the Nokia dealer nearest you. These specifications are subject to change without notice."


In other words, you are getting slightly misconstrued as to what your phone actually is.

You have a 5530, which just happens to also be one of the handsets that is ALSO available, if the Operator wishes to offer it, as a CWM Package too.

But it doesn't mean that it HAS to be a CWM package. And like I said, in most instances, they are not.

Hope this helps, and leaves you feeling much happier that you have not been in any way ripped off mate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadamehr Moonshot, Nokia "Comes With Music" phones are not ONLY available as a CWM bundle. They are ALSO, and more COMMONLY available WITHOUT the CWM element. Indeed, the 5800XM, is also a CWM device. But on most of the UK nets, it is offered as a STANDARD normal handset only instead, WITHOUT the CWM bundling service. And on the very page you refer to in your links, as much as it's described as a CWM phone (because in effect, it is, it is one of the select range of handsets Nokia have chosen to offer as a CWM service, as well as a normal handset package), then if you click the Full Specifications link, it tells you the box contents are: * Nokia 5530 XpressMusic * Nokia Battery BL-4U * Nokia Travel Charger AC-8 * Nokia Short Connectivity Cable CA-101 * Nokia Stereo Headset WH-205 * Nokia 4GB microSD memory card MU-41 * MiniDVD * User GUide No mention of the CWM Activation card there, and that's from the page you refer to. And moreover, at the footnotes, it makes it clear that: "The availability of particular products, services and features may vary by region. Please check with the Nokia dealer nearest you. These specifications are subject to change without notice." In other words, you are getting slightly misconstrued as to what your phone actually is. You have a 5530, which just happens to also be one of the handsets that is ALSO available, if the Operator wishes to offer it, as a CWM Package too. But it doesn't mean that it HAS to be a CWM package. And like I said, in most instances, they are not. Hope this helps, and leaves you feeling much happier that you have not been in any way ripped off mate.

I am reasonably on the ball when it comes to buying a mobile phone, but this time I read it wrong. Now, this is either my own fault, as Nokia said it was or Nokia has not made this point clear enough. Ok, now that you have explained I see what you mean.

When I phoned Nokia about this I was told that the 5530 is NOT a 'comes with music' phone and the only way I could get a 5530 with 'comes with music; was to buy the phone direct from Nokia.

My contract ended on my previous handset and I was looking at getting either the 5800 or the 5530. After compairing them on the Nokia site I felt the 5530 has the better spec. (for me) and the only high street selling them was the Carphone warehouse (they had a six week exclusive on the 5530). Even the salesman thought it was a 'comes with music' device.

Quote:

Originally Posted by malerocks And Moonshot, to add to what shadamehr has rightly explained, if the 5530 that you bought had been a CWM model, it would have been a little more expensive than a 5530 that is a regular phone (i.e. not CWM). What is the price you have paid? Have you paid the price of a regular 5530 or a CWM 5530. If you paid the price of a CWM 5530, and still did not get the activation card, then you definitely have been ripped off. Otherwise, you obviously have not.

There was only one price either a monthly contract price with vodaphone or virgin, or a buy it now, unlocked. So I bought the phone.

I still think the Nokia site is misleading, ok with hindsite................

It's little things like Nokia's comments that make you think about not buying another Nokia. After all symbian is almost a dead duck now.
............and this site has not bothered with a 5530 review but the x3 and x6 seem to be gettng all the publicity. It also seems that Nokia's touch screens are getting heavier and heavier. :mad:

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonshot I am reasonably on the ball when it comes to buying a mobile phone, but this time I read it wrong. Now, this is either my own fault, as Nokia said it was or Nokia has not made this point clear enough. Ok, now that you have explained I see what you mean.

You are not the first person to confuse XPressMusic with Comes With Music. My sales staff are all instructed to make it clear where music is included and where it is not. Several per day have to be enlightened.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonshot It's little things like Nokia's comments that make you think about not buying another Nokia. After all symbian is almost a dead duck now.

Sigh. Which Symbian dead duck would that be? The one in the....

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonshot t the x3 and x6 seem to be gettng all the publicity.

Or Symbian^2 or ^3 or anything else on the Nokia roadmap for the future?

Thank goodness for Symbian phones, they are holding up revenue figures for mobile phone sellers in this recession. I'm pleased I don't have to rely on some of the other offerings.

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