Nokia Launches New Digital Music Store in Ireland

Nokia Ireland is delighted to announce the arrival of the Nokia Music Store in Ireland - offering access to millions of tracks, from global hits to local artists and giving consumers the real freedom to enjoy music at their fingertips, 24/7. Nokia aims to include more Irish content from up-and-coming and established Irish artists than any other digital music store available in Ireland. (PR)

Nokia confident of music deals

Nokia is increasingly confident of securing deals with the world's leading record companies ahead of launching its flagship music service for mobile phones later this year. In December, Nokia announced plans for its Comes With Music service, under which people will be able to buy mobiles giving them access to Universal Music's entire back catalogue for up to one year. Nokia is in talks with the other three leading record companies - Sony BMG, EMI and Warner Music - plus about 10 independent music labels about giving people access to their catalogues. (Financial Times)

EMI Aims To Join Nokia's Music Offering

EMI said on Wednesday it was in talks with mobile handset maker Nokia to offer its songs as part of Nokia's new "Comes with Music" offering. Nokia is set to start selling phones under its "Comes With Music" brand in the second half of 2008, offering unlimited access to millions of songs. The world's largest music label, Universal, signed up for the program last December. (Reuters, Billboard)

Nokia opens online music store in Germany

Nokia opened its online music store in Germany, the second such store for the world's largest cell phone maker, which plans to open the stores in nine more countries by mid-2008. Nokia launched the online music store in Britain last November, but delayed launches at other large European markets by several months. (Reuters)

The 2008 conference video series: Nokia CTO Tero Ojanperä

Tero Ojanperä, EVP & Chief Technology Officer of Nokia, the world's largest mobile handset maker, interviewed by Ralph Simon, chairman emeritus & founder, Mobile Entertainment Forum Americas, at the 2008 MidemNet Forum. (Midemnet's Blog)

Nokia Launching Artists Advisory Council

In an effort to bolster musicians' perspectives within its corporate structure, Nokia Entertainment and Communities Group has formed the Nokia Artists Advisory Council. "The artist advisory council is an idea that emerged from the viewpoint that we can connect the consumer to the artists," Tero Ojanpera, Nokia's chief entertainment officer, tells Billboard.biz. Musician/producer Dave Stewart has been tapped to head up the council. (Billboard)