Nokia has launched a free music service in China as part of its efforts to protect its dominant global market share.

The company is offering customers free, unlimited music downloads if they buy one of eight Nokia devices slated for the region. Nokia will eventually extend the promotion to India.  

“This launch delivers a truly mass market music offering from China’s most loved mobile brand. Our broad range of Comes With Music enabled devices and the high quality, DRM-free catalogue form the perfect legal download recipe for the world’s biggest market for mobile phones,” says Liz Schimel, global head of music at Nokia.

The Chinese version of the Comes With Music service will be called Yue Sui Xiang and will feature a host of artists from Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group and EMI Music, as well as independent labels like Huayi Brothers Media Group and Taihe Rye.

Nokia has deployed its free music service in 30 markets over the past 18 months.