Entertainment retailer Play.com is to challenge Apple's iTunes in the digital download market by offering tracks which can be used on any MP3 player.
The music industry has been relying on digital rights management (DRM) technology which wraps around a music file in order to protect it from being used in certain ways. This means that tunes downloaded on iTunes can be burnt on to a CD or used on an iPod but cannot be used with other types of MP3 players.