HP laptops get Omniphone software

HP laptops are to come pre-loaded with Omniphone music streaming software, it has been announced.

The tie-up will allow HP laptops to offer a music service out of the box on 16 of its new laptop and desktop models.

Customers who purchase one of the new HP laptops will get a free two-week trial to test out the software with unlimited music downloads, after which the service will revert to a subscription charge of £9 per month.

Music downloaded onto the HP laptops will have DRM encryption, meaning tunes will stop working if users cease to pay their subscription fees – a system criticised in some quarters. However, HP laptops users will be able to keep 10 un-encoded tracks per month.

The HP laptops music service is expected to tap into a market which has not had much experience of the likes of iTunes or Spotify.