Who should control what you listen to on your iPhone or iPod?

Real Networks has submitted a new app to Apple for approval that raises that question.

Rhapsody for the iPhone, demonstrated in the video above, basically brings an unlimited streaming music service to the iPhone.

Unlimited streaming music services have failed to generate much interest in the past - but the iPhone's excellent usabiity could help change that. The Rhapsody iPhone app makes it easy to listen to any music you like, on demand.

Rhapsody raises a big dilemma for Apple.

If Apple OK's the Rhapsody app, then Apple could lose control over how you listen to music on the iPhone. The iPhone would stop being an iPod and, instead, become a portable multimedia computer that can run anyone's music program. 

And, if you stream all the music you want from Rhapsody, you're not going to buy much music through iTunes.

Apple may or may not approve the Rhapsody client for the iPhone anytime soon. If Apple rejects the Rhapsody app, though - and other apps that compete with Apple's own iPhone apps - can the iPhone ever reach its potential as a mobile platform?

Link:

• Introducing Rhapsody on the iPhone

James Lewin
Twitter @podcasting_news

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