// Pocket Picks //

As part of its big announcement this week, which saw three new handsets unveiled, Sony Ericsson also revealed its plans for PlayNow.

PlayNow was originally an easy way to pre-listen to and then buy polyphonic ringtones from your Walkman handset. Since its launch in 2004 it’s been expanded to include mastertones (MP3 ringtones), games, full music tracks and other content.

Now Sony Ericsson’s said what it’ll do next: PlayNow Arena. From next year, PlayNow will a lot more advanced. In the Arena, users will still listen to and buy tracks and ringtones, but they’ll also be linked to Sony Ericsson’s TrackID, track identification service (kind of like Shazam).

You’ll be able to identify tracks with TrackID, then click to PlayNow to buy said tracks. PlayNow Arena will also feature TrackID charts, where the most searched-for tracks around the world will be listed. Mobile games will also be included in PlayNow, with a more open environment for trying and buying mobile games straight from your Sony Ericsson handset.

This isn’t all - customers will also be able to access PlayNow Arena from either both mobiles and PCs enabling OTA downloads to both, just like operators offer now with their music download services.

And that still isn’t all, because Sony Ericsson’s coup de grace is that the music tracks will be DRM-free. That’s right, there’ll be no limit on downloads or on what device the tracks are downloaded to. Blimey.