Apple to start iTunes for Windows OS this week

NEW YORK (Apple iTunes/Napster/Top40 Charts) - Apple Computer is expected to announce the launch of iTunes for Windows on Thursday. In a cryptic yet obvious invitation to the press, the Cupertino, Ca. company invited reporter to a press conference on Thursday with a classic Jobs like pronouncement, "The year's biggest music story is about to get even bigger."

Many feel that it will be the official announcement of the iTunes music store for Windows users. This news comes one week after Roxio launched a beta of the new Napster service which offers users individual song downloads for $0.99, albums for $9.95 and a monthly unlimited subscription service for $9.95.

Apple�s iTunes music store launched to major success earlier this year. The one hitch was the fact that the service was limited to owners of Apple computers or iPod listening devises, which represents about 3% of all computer users.

Despite the success of the Apple only version of iTunes, some feel that Apple may not be as successful with Windows users since there is already plenty of competition in place and Apple users are known to be loyal, early adapters who will try new product offerings from the company. Not so with the Windows world.

However, iTunes success so far has been impressive. In the five months the service has been in business they have sold more than 10 million songs and they boast of a catalog with over 200,000 titles.

Who will win iTunes or Napster? Wait and see. Apple fans will pull for iTunes; a service they feel is "insanely great". No reality distortion field needed.