Apple's Music Announcements: Updated iPod, iTunes for Windows, more

Apple made several major announcements concerning its music business today, including:

Updated iPod software Apple has posted a free software update (version 2.1) for the iPod adds support for new Belkin voice recording and photo storage accessories for dockable iPods. Apple says "Available for both Mac and Windows, the iPod software update also includes faster browsing and accessing of large music libraries, the ability to sync On-The-Go playlists back to iTunes and a new Music Quiz game which tests a player's knowledge of their own iTunes music library."

Of particular interest is the photo storage feature, which allows you to directly connect a Belkin Media Reader. With Mac OS X, iPhoto will automatically recognize the iPod as a media storage device and prompt users to transfer their photos into the iPhoto library?just as if it were a camera, allowing users to erase the photos after transfer if desired.

13 million sold Apple says "Since its launch six months ago, music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 13 million songs from the iTunes Music Store, making it the number one download music service in the world. With music from all five major music companies and over 200 independent music labels, the iTunes Music Store catalog is growing every day and will offer more than 400,000 songs by the end of October."

iTunes for Windows VersionTracker has a download of the iTunes 4.1 for Windows package, which allows access to the newly revised music store. There is also a new release of iTunes 4.1 for the Mac, with various enhancements.

100 million free songs Pepsi and Apple have announced an alliance where beginning February 1, 100 million winning codes will be randomly seeded in 20 ounce and 1 liter bottles of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Sierra Mist, and the winning codes will be redeemable for a free song from the iTunes Music Store. Winners will simply go to Apple?s iTunes Music Store, enter the code found under the bottle cap and choose any 99 cent song from the online store?s vast catalog of over 400,000 songs.

Apple also announced a partnership with America Online for further promotion.

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