Rival targets Apple's once exclusive iTunes customer

For an year, Apple enjoyed singular success selling songs to users of its iPod. Now, RealNetworks is trying to lure iTunes customers away.

For more than a year, Apple Computer Inc enjoyed singular success selling songs exclusively to users of its iPod portable music player. Now, it's got rival RealNetworks Inc trying to lure iTunes customers away.

HT Image

Last month, Seattle-based RealNetworks fired the first shot at Apple, announcing that it had developed technology that allows songs purchased through its own online music services to be played on iPods.

On Monday, the company said it would temporarily slash its price for song downloads to 49 cents -- 50 cents less than iTunes. The promotion, which begins on Tuesday, coincides with a series of print ads meant to show iPod users they have an alternative to Apple's iTunes Music Store.

The sale, which also features full-album downloads for $4.99, $5 dollars less than iTunes, is only slated to last a limited -- though unspecified -- amount of time.

Then there's the ads, featuring an iPod-as-padlock with its lock in the open position and the tag line "Half the price of Apple. Welcome to freedom of choice."