Credit: Mike Blake/Reuters Microsoft, the world’s largest producer of software and maker of the upcoming Zune digital music player, said on Wednesday that it has cut a deal with Vivendi’s Universal Music Group under which it will share with the firm a portion of the device’s sales, as well as sales of Universal music via its Zune online marketplace, The New York Times reports. Universal executives who were given information on the pact told the Times the company expects to take in more than $1 for every sale of the Zune device, according to the Times. A 30GB edition of Zune is set to hit U.S. retailers on Nov. 14 and will sell for $250. In exchange for the Zune royalties, Universal—the largest music company in the world—will license its music catalog for sale via the Zune marketplace.Universal currently offers music from such artists as U2 and Jay-Z, according to the Times.Apple Computer, which leads the digital music player and download space in the United States with its uber-popular iPod device and iTunes Store, currently gives music labels a portion of sales of their content that is sold via iTunes, but it doesn’t give such firms any percentage of sales from its iPod devices, the Times reports. The Microsoft deal with Universal could force Apple to start delivering some portion of iPod sales to music firms, which have long been concerned with the fact that many users of MP3 players illegally obtain some or all of their music via ripped CDs or file-trading Web locales. Since online music sales are still not making up for declining sales of music on CD, some firms are seeking additional ways to bring in revenue from digital music. Universal claims that since many iPods and other MP3 players are serving as storage units for “stolen” or illegally obtained content, the copyright owners should be reimbursed, according to the Times. In addition to the pact with Universal, Microsoft said it is open to making similar deals with other music industry groups under which it would deliver royalties in exchange for content licensing, the Times reports. Universal’s existing iTunes contract with Apple expires next year, and the Microsoft deal could help it force Apple to hand over royalties from its iPods in exchange for a new licensing agreement, according to the Times. Related content feature Key IT initiatives reshape the CIO agenda While cloud, cybersecurity, and analytics remain top of mind for IT leaders, a shift toward delivering business value is altering how CIOs approach key priorities, pushing transformative projects to the next phase. By Mary Pratt May 30, 2023 10 mins IT Strategy IT Leadership opinion Managing IT right starts with rightsizing IT for value While there are few universals when it comes to saying unambiguously what ‘managing IT right’ looks like, knowing how to navigate the limitless possibilities of IT is surely one. By Thornton May May 30, 2023 6 mins Digital Transformation IT Strategy IT Leadership feature Red Hat embraces hybrid cloud for internal IT The maker of OpenShift has leveraged its own open container offering to migrate business-critical apps to AWS as part of a strategy to move beyond facilitating hybrid cloud for others and capitalize on the model for itself. By Paula Rooney May 29, 2023 5 mins CIO 100 Technology Industry Hybrid Cloud feature 10 most popular IT certifications for 2023 Certifications are a great way to show employers you have the right IT skills and specializations for the job. These 10 certs are the ones IT pros are most likely to pursue, according to data from Dice. By Sarah K. White May 26, 2023 8 mins Certifications Careers Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe