Supermarket giant takes on Apple's iTunes

The world’s largest retailer Wal-Mart has launched a DRM-free download store, to rival Apple’s iTunes.

The store will sell MP3 music downloads from Universal and EMI, without anti-piracy technology – known as digital rights management (DRM). DRM is used to control customers copying downloads and to prevent tracks downloaded on to one device being used on other music players.

Earlier this year, Amazon also revealed plans to launch a music download service, but nothing has been done as yet.

Wal-Mart’s web site now offers songs for 94 cents a track, with albums for about US$9.22 (£4.60).

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