Microsoft's Online Store More Buzz Than Music

Microsoft(MSFT Quote) is once again playing the role of the late 800-pound gorilla in a crowded-but-nascent market. This time it's online music, and Microsoft's launch of a Web-based music store Thursday is expected to initially play backup to longtime rival Apple's(AAPL Quote) hugely popular iTunes site.

But while iTunes has been instrumental in selling Apple's iPod portable music player, and consequently the revival of Apple shares, MSN Music, Microsoft's long-anticipated music store, is actually far less important to the world's largest software maker than recent buzz suggests.

According to analysts, other upcoming music-related software launches by Microsoft are far more important to the company's long-term goal of extending its dominant Windows operating system from the office into the home and even while mobile. The product launches are:

• Windows Media Player 10, a beta version of Microsoft's next media player software, expected to launch later this week along with the MSN music store.

• Janus digital-rights management software, which will enable users of online music subscription services to listen to songs on portable players for the first time. Janus is expected to debut this fall....