PSP to get music download service?

If there’s one thing Sony are pretty good at (there are actually several things they’re good at but that’s not such a common saying), it’s having someone else’s cake and eating it. They liked the look of those videogame console things; they made the PlayStation and sold trillions. That Game Boy thing looked like it was selling a few units; they made the PSP. The PSP will sell well.

Already capable of downloading software upgrades for its internal operating system through a wireless internet connection, the next logical step for the PSP is to offer other types of downloadable content to be saved to the Memory Sticks it uses for data storage. Whilst nothing has been confirmed, trade magazine, Marketing claim that SCEE have a system in the works that will start out by offering software upgrades and additional content for games before moving on to music and possibly movies later in the year.

Sony haven’t been doing too well in the MP3 player market recently. While Apple have raced away at the front of the pack with their iPod/iTunes combo, Sony have been left spluttering in the dirt. Their refusal until recently to support the hugely popular MP3 file format in favour of pimping their own ATRAC format has certainly been a big part in this although Apple’s strong iPod branding and advertising have also taken their toll on Sony’s sales. With full MP3 support included, it appears to be looking to its ever-strong PlayStation brand to break back into this lucrative market with the PSP.