Nokia takes on Apple with online music store

Nokia is taking on Apple’s iTunes with the launch of its own online music store. The Finnish handset giant has also unveiled a new handset to rival the forthcoming iPhone. 

The Nokia Music Store is expected to launch in the UK this autumn as part of the company’s new Ovi internet service. Ovi, which means “door” in Finnish, will act as a “gateway” for Nokia’s web offering, which will also include navigation service Nokia Maps. 

Nokia will also launch the N81 handset before the end of the year to go up against the iPhone. The N81, which will be marketed as this Christmas’s must-have handset, is a slider phone with a large screen that will have direct access to the Nokia Music Store. Users will also be able to access the music store from a new 8GB version of the company’s N95 device. 

Speaking at the London launch of the new products today (Wednesday), Nokia president and chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo says: “The industry is converging towards internet-driven experiences and Ovi represents Nokia’s vision in combining the internet and mobility. 

He adds: “The Nokia Music Store brings together a powerful combination of great music and great devices in an easy-to-use way.”