According to other reports Napster opened the worlds largest music download store today, allowing access to more than 6 million songs in what looks like a direct challenge to Apple’s iTunes store.  Napster has previously focused on selling monthly streaming music packages that could be synced with a portable player, however, they are now selling MP3 format songs (according to PC magazine at 256 Kbps) which can be transferred onto a portable device including (crucially) the Apple iPod and iPhone. 

Like Apple’s iTunes individual songs are sold at 99cents and $9.95 for an album, and will auto sync to a users existing iTunes music library, if they currently use iTunes.  Unfortunately, although tracks purchased from this new Napster service can be played on the iPod there is at this point no Napster subscription option available. 

The associated press reports Chris Gorog (Napster’s Chairman and Chief executive) as saying “It is really the beginning of a level playing field, which I think is essential for Napster, but also for the health of the digital music business in general”.  This is certainly a step forward for Napster but I cannot imagine switching from my current service from iTunes which I am currently happy with.  The exception may arise of course if iTunes doesn’t have a song that I want that Napster does, but that has never happened to me yet.