Microsoft is redesigning its MSN Music Internet site to offer more of the type of services that users might eventually pay for.
Still, the company insists that the site's primary focus for now is to draw people to msn.com, Microsoft's Internet portal.
"We think the online music market is still a very growing, emerging market and there's still a lot of learning to be done on what types of content, what types of features will consumers find enough value to pay for," said Microsoft program manager Lisa Gurry.
Eventually, she said, Microsoft will emphasize the type of subscription services that rivals such as RealNetworks have made a priority.
The redesigned site is being launched Monday. It will include several features aimed at getting to know users' music tastes.
With permission, the updated site can track a user's listening habits and offer recommendations based on them. Microsoft will store information on its servers, but promised not to sell it to third parties.
Through a deal with Ticketmaster, Microsoft also can begin alerting users via MSN Messenger when their favorite artists are coming to town.
In some cases, users will be alerted -- and perhaps even able to buy tickets -- before concert dates are announced publicly, Gurry said.
Another free service can alert customers to upcoming album releases.
In a sign that the company is thinking about subscription service, the MSN Music site also will feature more prominent links to Pressplay, a service that lets users listen to or download a certain number of songs per month, for a fee.
The service was launched earlier this year by several record labels, with Microsoft as a partner.
Another feature lets users listen to samples of albums before buying them.
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