Microsoft has begun offering an annual pay option for its Zune Pass, after over a year of only offering a monthly option.
The monthly pass was $15 per month but now subscribers can pay for one year upfront for $150.
Ars asked Microsoft for comment: “It went live yesterday in the US, UK, France, Italy and Spain. The monthly subscription is for $14.99 in the US and €9.99 or £8.99 in European markets. The annual Zune Pass subscription is the same monthly offer, at a discounted price of 12 months of music for the price of 10 months.”
The updated Zune Pass subscription option comes right on the heels of the release of Windows Phone 7, which integrates the service.
A Microsoft Zune Pass gives you unlimited access to 10 million songs while you are subscribed whilst also getting to keep 10 songs as free downloads per month.
Result for: european markets
Nintendo has noted that they had shipped about 200,000 DSi units in anticipation of the Japanese launch of the console on Saturday.
The updated handheld is selling for JPY 18,900, the equivalent of $179 USD in the country.
The DSi features two cameras, improved audio functionality, a built-in web browser and an SD memory card slot along side a slightly larger screen.
Nintendo also added that they would be shipping another 100,000 units during the course of the week.
The company recently added that the handheld would hit North American and European markets in August 2009.
Result for: european markets
The large Swedish-Finnish-based telecom operator TeliaSonera has announced that it has struck a deal with Apple to bring the popular iPhone to Northern European markets.
In its press release the company says “later this year” the carrier will begin selling the phone in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
When asked for more details, the carrier refused any more comment, and so there are no pricing models available as of yet.
Over the past month (see related news below), Apple has been striking deals with various carriers to bring the iPhone worldwide, hitting every continent minus Antarctica.
Orange has signed up to sell the phone in at least 12 markets in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Vodafone is set to sell the phone in 10 countries including markets in South Africa and Australia. other providers have also inked deals to sell the phone in Singapore, India, the Philippines. Notably however, deals have fallen apart in the giant markets of Japan and China, but many still feel there is a chance they can be signed by the end of 2008.
