Microsoft has at last confirmed plans that it will launch its own music-download store next year, putting it on the path to direct competition with Apple Computer's iTunes and a growing list of rival digital song stores.
With unequaled software reach, Microsoft's entry into the market will almost necessarily create a splash larger than that of virtually any other company, despite being as much as a year behind Apple and others. But the company's service is also certain to be closely scrutinized by antitrust regulators who are already examining its music policies with a microscope.
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