SEOUL, South Korea - Samsung Electronics Co. is planning to enter the online music business with a service similar to Apple Computer Inc.'s popular iTunes.

Choi Gee-sung, the head of the company's digital media business, announced the plans to South Korean reporters on Friday, said spokeswoman Kwon Hyo-sun.

Choi said Samsung would cooperate with several partners, both foreign and domestic, in developing the service, but didn't say when it would be launched, according to Kwon.

Apple dominates the online music business with its hot-selling iPod digital music player and iTunes service, where song downloads cost 99 cents each. The company introduced a new iPod last month that can play video, and began selling music videos and a limited selection of popular TV programs for $1.99 per downlad.

Samsung, the world's largest memory chip maker and a major manufacturer of consumer electronics including flat-screen televisions and mobile handsets, supplies flash memory chips, used in MP3 players and digital cameras, to the Cupertino, Calif.-based company.

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