Today marks the launch of Amazon.com’s new AutoRip service. It enables customers who buy CDs from Amazon.com to get the MP3 versions—for free.
The service is also retroactive and applies to all CDs purchased from Amazon dating back to 1998 when its Music Store first opened.
Here’s how the service works: whenever a customer purchases an AutoRip CD, Amazon automatically adds the MP3 version to the customer’s Cloud Player library for free. From there, the MP3s are available to immediately play or download. This allows customers to enjoy their music before the CD has even arrived in the mail.
For customers worried about the storage limits of their Cloud Player accounts, Amazon says that the AutoRip MP3s will not count against the storage limits.
Customers can enjoy the MP3s on any device capable of playing an MP3 including cell phones, TVs, cloud-based music services, and web browsers.
Amazon lists iPhones, iPod touches, Android phones and tablets, Roku, Sonos, Samsung TVs, and of course Amazon’s Kindle Fire among the devices available with Cloud Player apps or accessibility.
Those customers that have already purchased CDs (with Auto-Rip availability from Amazon’s Music Store since 1998) will find the MP3 versions automatically available in their Cloud Player libraries.
Amazon.com’s Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said the following about the new service:
“What would you say if you bought music CDs from a company 15 years ago, and then 15 years later that company licensed the rights from the record companies to give you the MP3 versions of those CDs… and then to top it off, did that for you automatically and for free?”
Bezos added, “Well, starting today, it’s available to all of our customers – past, present, and future – at no cost. We love these opportunities to do something unexpected for our customers.”
The company also noted that, “In many cases, customers can buy an AutoRip CD, including the free digital copy, for less than they would pay for only the digital album at iTunes.”
Shoppers can learn more about Amazon.com’s new AutoRip service at: www.amazon.com/AutoRip
Have A Question? Ask Jessica!
-
Jessica: Hi, I'm Jessica, the Consumer Press AI, can I help you with a consumer question?
