The music download industry keeps evolving, as more players enter the game and alliances are formed each day. We’re all aware of AT&T partnering with giant Apple Inc. to promote the iPhone, which of course uses iTunes for its ringtone capabilities. As more mobile phones encompass multimedia functions, the music and telecommunications industries are realizing their unfolding opportunities to meld together.

AT&T and Napster, one of the original music download services, are joining together and providing direct download capabilities, according to CNNMoney. In an effort to avoid mobile-to- PC connections to transfer music files, direct downloads are growing in popularity. More mobile phone owners are using their cell phones as MP3 players, not to mention the added benefit of using downloads as ringtones.

Similarly, in Australia, Nokia is stepping up to the plate in music downloads, providing free Wi-Fi zones for Nokia Nseries customers. They plan to launch a music download service of their own sometime this year, and with their free Wi-Fi campaign, more and more Australian-based Nokia users will be more apt to try it out come launch time.

Telecommunications companies and mobile phone service providers aren’t the only ones switching up the music download industry. 6StarReviews.com reports that Amazon’s newest service, AmazonMP3, is offering lower prices on individual songs and albums than some of their competitors, such as iTunes.

Their 2-million some music collection stands out in that its music files are DRM-free and iTunes and Windows Multimedia Player-compatible. Though competition amongst music download providers is inevitable, anyone with a mobile phone or MP3 player will continue to be exposed to countless options.