Omnifone

Omnifone
Type Limited
Industry Digital music services
Founded January 14, 2003 (2003-01-14)
Founder(s) Rob Lewis, Phil Sant, Mark Knight
Headquarters London, United Kingdom
Area served US
Canada
UK
Ireland
Australia
New Zealand
France
Germany
Italy
Spain
Austria
The Netherlands
Belgium
Luxembourg
Sweden
Norway
Finland
Denmark
Switzerland
Croatia
Hungary
Singapore
Hong Kong
Taiwan
South Africa
Brazil
Mexico
Key people Rob Lewis (Executive Chairman), Jeff Hughes (CEO)
Products Sony Music Unlimited, RIM BBM Music, MusicStation, Sony Ericsson PlayNow plus, rara.com
Employees 200 people
Website www.omnifone.com

Omnifone is an independent provider of cloud based unlimited music services to consumer electronics vendors, mobile carriers, internet service providers and consumer brands including RIM,[1]Sony,[2]HP,[3] Sony Ericsson,[4] Vodafone,[5] Telenor,[6] Hutchison Telecom,[7] Vodacom[8] and rara.com.[9]

Omnifone enables legitimate cloud based unlimited music consumption and a viable alternative to piracy across multiple in-home, in-car, mobile and PC platforms[10] and has launched its MusicStation powered unlimited music services across five continents[11] on a wide range[12][13] of devices.

Contents

Licensing

Omnifone has licensed services in 27 markets for its partners Sony, RIM, HP and rara.com.

In June 2007 Omnifone secured the first international licensing agreements for unlimited music services with all four major music labels; Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music.[14]

In January 2011 Omnifone secured Germany’s first global subscription licensing with GEMA[15]

Services

MusicStation[16] is Omnifone’s multi-award winning[17] unlimited music service platform. The cloud based technology platform works across a wide range of different digital device types and is tailored specifically for each market, platform and partner.[18] Omnifone provides a number of different variants of MusicStation:

Desktop Omnifone's Desktop applications enable consumers to stream, download, play and share music, direct to their desktop computer.[19] The service is provided in partnership with personal computer vendors, mobile carrier networks, and broadband providers.[20] MusicStation Desktop Edition provides a personalised user experience, which features play-based music recommendations, connected community services and features, and an automatic back-up of private and public playlists to the cloud, plus online search and discovery capabilities. The service is able to synchronise with all other MusicStation-powered services and mobile devices via the cloud. In April 2009 Hutchison Telecom became the first [21] Omnifone partner to introduce MusicStation Desktop Edition to users in Hong Kong on its 3 network provided ‘in concert’ with MusicStation Mobile Edition providing unlimited access to music across mobile and PC. In January 2010 MusicStation launched across Europe on HP desktop and laptop PCs in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands.[3]

Mobile Apps Omnifone provides a range of white label and co-branded mobile apps for all major mobile platforms including Android, iOS, Symbian, Windows Mobile and Java.[22] Omnifone partnered with mobile carriers and handset manufacturers to deliver mobile app based services which give consumers the ability to stream, download, play and share unlimited amounts of music, direct-to-mobile.[23] MusicStation is pre-installed by partner carriers or downloaded for free from carrier portals such as Vodafone Live!. Omnifone has rolled out mobile apps with partners across five continents with Vodafone UK,[24] Australia[25] and New Zealand,[26] Telenor Sweden,[27] 3 Hong Kong,[28] Vodacom South Africa.[29]

Key Management

Founders

Non Executive Chairman

Funding

Omnifone is privately funded by the company’s founders Rob Lewis, Phil Sant and Mark Knight with additional funding from diversified alternative investment firm Sofaer Capital.[30]

Partnership with Gracenote

Omnifone announced a partnership with Gracenote in January 2009[31] to bring interoperable cloud based unlimited music services to multiple device platforms including in-car, in-home, PC and mobile devices. A demonstration of the Omnifone/Gracenote technology won a Best of CES award at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2009[32] followed a year later by an announcement at CES 2010 that Omnifone had introduced digital music services with Gracenote technology in 20 countries in 2009.[33]

History

UK entrepreneurs Rob Lewis, Phil Sant and Mark Knight established Omnifone in January 2003 after more than seven years working together in the internet space founding software development company Cromwell Media (sold to InterX for £850m in 2000)[34] and IT industry news site Silicon.com[35] (sold to NASDAQ-listed CNET Networks, part of CBS in 2001).[36] The trio founded Omnifone to enable the next generation of digital content services to be delivered globally. The company spent four years developing its unlimited music service platform before announcing MusicStation in February 2007.[34]

• 14th January 2003: British Entrepreneurs Rob Lewis, Phil Sant and Mark Knight form Omnifone[37]
• 12th February 2007: Omnifone announces MusicStation [6]
• 14th June 2007: MusicStation goes live with its first rollout in Sweden with Telenor [38]
• 22nd October 2007: MusicStation launches in Hong Kong with 3 [39]
• 1st November 2007: MusicStation launches in South Africa with Vodacom [40]
• 1st November 2007: MusicStation launches in the UK with Vodafone [41]
• 12th February 2008: Omnifone launches MusicStation Max, a pre-licensed unlimited music phone development programme with LG signed up as a handset manufacturer [42]
• 15th September 2008: MusicStation launches in New Zealand with Vodafone [43]
• 22nd September 2008: MusicStation launches in Australia with Vodafone [44]
• 24th September 2008: Omnifone announces partnership with Sony Ericsson to power PlayNow plus, its pre-licensed unlimited downloads service across Walkman mobiles [45]
• 14th November 2008: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Sweden with Telenor [46]
• 8th January 2009: Omnifone announces partnership with Gracenote to bring unlimited music to multiple device platforms [47]
• 12th January 2009: Omnifone powered in-car entertainment system CarStars wins CNET ‘Best of CES’ Car Tech award at the 2009 International Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas; the largest consumer electronics event in the world [48]
• 16th February 2009: Omnifone announces MusicStation Next Generation unlimited music service for ISPs to fight piracy online, confirming reports that it is in discussions with BSkyB as its first ISP customer [49]
• 13th March 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Switzerland with Swisscom [50]
• 2nd April 2009: MusicStation Desktop Edition launches in Hong Kong[51]
• 23rd April 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Singapore with Singtel [52]
• 9th June 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Austria with Orange [53]
• 8th September 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in The Netherlands with T-Mobile[54]
• 14th October 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Hungary with T-Mobile[55]
• 19th October 2009: BSkyB launches Sky Songs streaming and downloads service in the UK [56]
• 23rd October 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Brazil with Vivo [57]
• 9th November 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Mexico with Telcel[58]
• 20th November 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Croatia with T-Mobile[59]
• 21st November 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Singapore with M1[60]
• 8th January 2010: Omnifone extends relationship with Gracenote, allows for cloud-based music solutions in more than 30 countries in 2010 [61]
• 25th January 2010: Omnifone announces partnership with HP for MusicStation on PCs in 10 countries across Europe [3]
• 15th February 2010: Omnifone announces MusicStation for Android [62]
• 16th February 2010: Omnifone first to encode its global music catalogue into Dolby Pulse file format for cloud based digital music services in 2010 [63]
• 16th April 2010: Omnifone appoints Jeff Hughes as CEO [64]
• 22nd December 2010: Sony launches Q Music Unlimited cloud music service powered by Omnifone in the UK and Ireland [2]
• 22nd January 2011: Sony launches Q Music Unlimited cloud music service powered by Omnifone in France, Germany, Italy and Spain [65]
• 17th February 2011: Sony launches Q Music Unlimited cloud music service powered by Omnifone in the US, Australia and New Zealand [66]
• 25th August 2011: RIM launches BBM Music social music service in beta - powered by Omnifone in the US, Canada and the UK [67]
• 13th December 2011: rara.com launches across Europe and the USA - powered by Omnifone [9]
• 14th December 2011: rara.com launches across New Zealand - powered by Omnifone [68]

Awards

Omnifone has won a number of awards for its unlimited music services including:

Locations

Omnifone is headquartered in Island Studios,[34] London, with its Asia Pacific HQ in Hong Kong.[84]

References

  1. ^ Paid Content: 25 August 2011: RIM Breaks Social Ground With Its New BBM Music Service,
  2. ^ a b Engadget: 22 December 2010: Sony's Music Unlimited subscription service ready to stream tunes to PS3s and Bravia TVs in the UK
  3. ^ a b c The Guardian: 25 January 2010: HP deal strengthens Omnifone's position in digital music battle
  4. ^ Screen Digest: 24 September 2008: Sony Ericsson steals Nokia's thunder with music service
  5. ^ Finanacial Times: 11 September 2007: Vodafone reveals its answer to iPhone
  6. ^ a b Financial Times: 13 June 2007: Mobile phone groups take on iPhone
  7. ^ Record of the Day: 2 April 2009: Omnifone brings unlimited music downloads to PC and Mobile with MusicStation Desktop Edition
  8. ^ Business Day: 31 October 2007: Vodacom to boost data revenue with music download service
  9. ^ a b [BBC News: 13 December 2011: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16168384]
  10. ^ Billboard: January 2009: Omnifone, Gracenote Partner On Integrated Unlimited Music
  11. ^ Mobile Entertainment: 9 June 2009: PlayNow plus goes live with Orange Austria
  12. ^ BBC News: Sound start to music on mobiles
  13. ^ MusicWeek: 2 April 2009: MusicStation comes to PC
  14. ^ EMI: 14 June 2007: MusicStation Goes Live
  15. ^ Billboard: 24 January 2011: Omnifone & GEMA Announce Germany Deal @ MIDEM For Sony's Qriocity
  16. ^ MusicStation
  17. ^ Omnifone Awards
  18. ^ Screen Digest: 17 February 2009: Omnifone unveils MusicStation Next Generation
  19. ^ MusicWeek: 2 April 2009: Omnifone goes PC
  20. ^ CMU: 3 April 2009: Omnifone launch combined mobile/PC unlimited tunes service in Hong Kong
  21. ^ Billboard: 2 April 2009: MusicStation Desktop Edition Launches with 3HK in Hong Kong
  22. ^ BBC News: 14 June 2007: Sound start to music on mobiles
  23. ^ Mobile Today: 25 June 2008: Vodafone launches unlimited MusicStation bundles
  24. ^ Vodafone UK MusicStation
  25. ^ Vodafone Australia MusicStation
  26. ^ Vodafone NZ MusicStation
  27. ^ Telenor Sweden MusicStation
  28. ^ 3 MusicStation Hong Kong
  29. ^ Vodacom MusicStation South Africa
  30. ^ Financial Times: 8 April 2008: Master of timing with a million downloads on his mind
  31. ^ MusicWeek: January 2009: Omnifone Announces Partnership with Gracenote
  32. ^ CNET: January 2009: Gracenote and Omnifone win a Best of CES Award
  33. ^ The Industry Standard: 11 January 2010: Omnifone extends relationship with Gracenote
  34. ^ a b c The Guardian: 12 February 2007: UK dotcom tycoons take on Apple with iPhone competitor
  35. ^ Silicon.com
  36. ^ The Guardian: 2 August 2002: Cnet buys Silicon.com
  37. ^ Business Week: 11 February 2008: Omnifone Offers Operators a New Tune
  38. ^ BBC.co.uk: 14 June 2007: Sound start to music on mobiles
  39. ^ TMC.net: 31 October 2007: Omnifone Launches MusicStation with 3 Hong Kong
  40. ^ Bizcommunity.com: 1 November 2007: Vodacom launches music downloads service
  41. ^ Mobile Choice: 2 November 2007: Vodafone offers unlimited music downloads
  42. ^ Daily Telegraph: 12 February 2008: Free mobile music download service launched
  43. ^ "Vodafone's unlimited music plan". The Dominion Post. 12 September 2008. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/623461. Retrieved 1 November 2011. 
  44. ^ Sydney Morning Herald: 22 September 2008: Unlimited music for the price of a coffee
  45. ^ BBC News Beat: 25 September 2008: Walkman phone to take on Nokia
  46. ^ Easybourse: 13 November 2008: Sony Ericsson's PlayNow Plus Music Service Opens Friday In Sweden
  47. ^ Billboard: 8 January 2009: Omnifone, Gracenote Partner On Integrated Unlimited Music
  48. ^ CNET: 8 January 2009: Gracenote puts a star in your car
  49. ^ Daily Telegraph: 16 February 2009: Mobile World Congress: Omnifone to launch unlimited online music download service with ISPs
  50. ^ Trading Markets: 13 March 2009: Sony Ericsson launches PlayNow plus in Switzerland
  51. ^ Billboard: 2 April 2009: Hong Kong First To Get New Omnifone Unlimited Service
  52. ^ Crave.com: 23 April 2009: Sony Ericsson announces PlayNow plus in Singapore
  53. ^ Billboard: 9 June 2009: Austria Gets Unlimited Sony Ericsson Service
  54. ^ Engadget: 11 September 2009: T-Mobile, Sony Ericsson bring PlayNow Plus to Netherlands
  55. ^ HWSW.hu: 14 October 2009: Korlátlan zeneletöltés mobilra - itt a PlayNow plus
  56. ^ Forrester: 12 October 2009: Sky Songs: First Take
  57. ^ 12 December 2009: Aliado Digital: Brasil: Sony Ericsson lanza PlayNow Plus
  58. ^ 20 March 2010: Seusers.com: Pasos para poner PlayNow plus
  59. ^ 20 November 2009: Trading Markets: T-Mobile introduces Sony Ericsson PlayNow Plus in Croatia
  60. ^ 21 November 2009: OCWorkBench: M1 and Sony Ericsson today announce the launch of Sony Ericsson Yari with PlayNow plus from 21 Nov
  61. ^ Music Week: 8 January 2010: Omnifone and Gracenote extend deal
  62. ^ Music Week: 15 February 2010: MusicStation comes to Android
  63. ^ Music Week: 16 February 2010: Dolby and Omnifone launch new format for the cloud
  64. ^ Reuters: 16 April 2010: Omnifone appoints new CEO for U.S. expansion
  65. ^ Tech Crunch: 22 January 2011: Sony’s cloud-based Qriocity music service debuts in France, Germany, Italy and Spain
  66. ^ Bloomberg: 17 February 2011: Sony Music Streaming Service Debuts in U.S. to Challenge iTunes
  67. ^ Wired: 25 August 2011: BlackBerry Messenger adds streaming music service
  68. ^ [PC World (New Zealand): 14 December 2011: http://pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/pcw.nsf/news/streaming-music-service-launches-in-nz]
  69. ^ Ernst & Young UK Entrepreneur of the Year London & South Award winners press release
  70. ^ Oracle UK Partner Awards 2009 press release
  71. ^ CNET: ‘Best of CES’ Car Tech Award 2009 – with Gracenote
  72. ^ 3G.co.uk Omnifone wins Global Mobile Awards 2008 – Best Mobile Music Service Award
  73. ^ Mobile: Mobile Industry Awards 2008 – Best Mobile Internet Service
  74. ^ Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) Meffys 2007 – Music Service Award Meffy
  75. ^ Juniper Research Future Music Awards 2008 – Gold Award for Mobile Music
  76. ^ PwC UK Technology, Innovation & Growth Awards 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year – Rob Lewis, CEO, Omnifone
  77. ^ Oracle Magazine Editor’s Choice Awards 2008 Embedded Architect of the Year – Phil Sant, COO and Mark Knight, Chief Architect, Omnifone
  78. ^ Mediatech 100 2008
  79. ^ MCA (Mobile Content Awards) 2008: Silver Award: Best entertainment service
  80. ^ MAMA (Mobile Advertising & Marketing Awards) 2008: Gold Award: Most Effective Use of Music
  81. ^ AO (Always On) Global 250 2008
  82. ^ Red Herring 100 2007 – EMEA Award 2007
  83. ^ Red Herring 100 2007 – Global Award 2007
  84. ^ Vodafone: 10 September 2007: Vodafone brings unlimited downloads to the UK with MusicStation

External links