RealNetworks Brings Music And Video To Mobile Phones

Real Networks is moving beyond the PC to start offering streaming audio and video to mobile phones. They've teamed up with the GSM/GPRS providers in the US (Cingular, AT&T Wireless, and T-Mobile) to offer the content to users who have certain devices that can handle it. Initially, they're going to offer the content for free to "jumpstart the market", after which they plan to charge. Depending on the content, they may have a hard time. Considering that streaming content on a mobile phone probably isn't the ideal medium, people are less likely to want to pay for it, unless it has some real value to them. Worse, if the carriers insist on charging per byte, these large files won't get much incentive for use.