Baidu and Hurray! Test New Business Model for Music Downloads

Interfax China reports that Chinas most popular search service provider Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) and wireless value added service provider Hurray! (Nasdaq: HRAY) have partnered to jointly release a pop music single on the Internet and through mobile value-added services.

"The single will be released and promoted on the Internet and mobile network instead of via traditional CDs so as to avoid piracy problems," Du Hua, spokesperson from Hurray! told Interfax Monday.

Baidu will provide a link to the song on its MP3 search website. The song will just be available as a high quality ringtone and cannot be downloaded to PCs. Users will be able to pay for the song via their mobile phones.

The new track song by Chinese pop star Chen Hao will be the first song ever solely released through the internet in China.