Loudeye subsidiary OD2 (remember them?) has confirmed it has renewed its contract with the European division of Microsoft's MSN to continue providing the portal's download services. The renewed contract follows that previously reported announcement earlier this month that Loudeye was selling off its US business to concentrate on its Europe based OD2 operation.
The new deal means Loudeye will continue to provide its white label download platform to MSN customers in 13 countries. Although dwarfed by iTunes, MSN's download service says it has "hundreds of thousands" of customers, and in the UK recent research suggested the Microsoft platform had 6% of the digital music market, some way behind Apple on 44%, but comparing well with Napster on 8% and UK based Wippit, also on 6%.
OD2 also continues to supply download services for a number of other European internet service providers as well as MTV, Oxfam, Packard Bell and Coke, though they lost the deal to supply both HMV and Virgin Megastore with their download platforms - both high street retailers opted for MusicNet when they properly launched their digital offers.