South Korea's largest cellular company, SK Telecom, has provided a mobile music portal service called �MelOn� since the end of 2004. MelOn is the first integrated, wired and wireless, music service that allows users to enjoy music virtually anytime, anywhere using a portable MP3 player, a PC, or a mobile phone. The main MelOn interface is a music download and streaming Internet portal, www.melon.co.kr. The service is akin to a rental service, with users �renting� tracks on a monthly basis for use on various terminals. MelOn users pay a 5000 won (US$4.50) monthly subscription to stream music to a PC or download tracks to their phone as long as their subscription is current. Digital rights management (DRM) wrappers on the music guarantee a subscriber is current, and tracks are erased from the end-user�s library at the end of the subscription period. To download tracks onto the handset, users pay for airtime at regular call rates, regardless of the size of the track. The key to the model is its ubiquitousness, downloads are possible using wireline and wireless platforms, and a relatively affordable monthly subscription fee. SK Telecom acquires the rights from the record companies for music to use as ringtones, ringbacks and full version downloads. Music companies are not necessarily enamored by the scheme, but SK Telekom has generally used its market heft to have its way. To further strengthen its position, SK Telekom acquired Korea�s YBM Seoul Records, reportedly Korea�s largest record company.
The worldwide server market has entered a new phase defined almost entirely by artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure economics rather than traditional enterprise refresh cycles. The latest market data shows robust growth and a structural shift in where value is created, who captures it, and which architectures are setting the pace for the next decade. IDC reports that worldwide server revenue reached a record $112.4 billion in the third quarter of 2025, representing a striking 61 percent year-over-year increase compared to the same quarter in 2024. For context, this means the market is adding tens of billions of dollars in incremental quarterly spend, driven overwhelmingly by AI and accelerated computing requirements. IT Server Market Development Over the first three quarters of 2025, server revenue has already reached $314.2 billion, meaning the market has nearly doubled in size compared to 2024, underscoring how AI buildouts have compressed several years of exp...