7digital is stepping up to compete with iTunes by updating its Android app to include an in-app music download store along with acting as the default Android phone music player.

The past couple of weeks I’ve been learning a lot about innovative music businesses venturing into new partnerships and trying to make the most of their APIs. It is interesting to see how 7digital is now challenging iTunes, even going a step further by having the app sync with 7digital’s digital music locker feature so that tracks previously purchased from the service can be re-downloaded to a user’s handset.

This is what I learned about the full features of the new version of 7digital’s Android application:

1. Access to 7digital’s catalogue of 14m MP3 tracks.
2. Optimised mobile delivery.
3. Ability to access and sync tracks stored both locally on a user’s device and in 7digital’s cloud locker.
4. Users can browse music by genre and new releases and search for artist, track or album names.
5. Playlists can be created and managed within the application.
6. 30 second previews of all tracks are available before purchase.

Main learning point: the latest version of 7digital’s Android application must be seen as a significant milestone within 7digital. It partners with a wide range of companies (think Blackberry’s PlayBook and Shazam) and this new Android all-in-one music player cum download store will in my view prove to be a further boost to their offering to both existing and future partners.

Related links for further learning:

http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/05/04/7digital-opens-its-music-download-store-to-android/

http://blogs.7digital.com/blog/2011/05/04/7digital-brings-mp3-downloads-to-android/

http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/03/ipod-meet-spotify-itunes-say-hello-to-your-future-rival/