While music is one of few services capable of eliciting strong emotional ties and response from consumers, it hasn't corresponded with revenue when offered on the mobile handset. Wireless carriers and other music providers have traditionally relied on an a la carte business model, but that is giving way to monthly and even yearly subscriptions as music searches for a winning mix on mobile. Sony Ericsson, the third largest handset-maker, paved the music category in 2005 and has since sold more than 100 million Walkman phones. Through this time, the a la carte business model has produced only a slim margin for both Sony Ericsson and its carrier partners, said Martin Blomquist, head of content acquisition and management for Sony Ericsson. He called the business model outdated-the same thing the music industry has been working on since the '70s. Subscription services, on the other hand, have had varying success depending on the value that consumers attach to the service.
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