In quite a surprising move, (although not that surprising, considering the company’s behavior during the past few months) Hewlett-Packard has announced that it is giving up on Apple’s iTunes music jukebox software in favor of RealNetworks’ rival offering.

The PC manufacturer has been pre-installing iTunes on its computers since 2004, when it began producing iPods under its own brand. However late last year it stopped offering the music player through its online store, hence the decision to despatch with iTunes.

And now, RealNetworks, one of the top players in subscription music services, with more than 1.3 million paying music subscribers, announced the its Rhapsody online music service will be promoted on select HP consumer desktop and notebook PCs sold in the United States.

Under a new agreement with HP, Rhapsody will be available via select HP Pavilion, Compaq Presario and HP Pavilion Media Center TV PC product lines. Rhapsody will also become the default player for all major audio files formats, including RealAudio, Windows Media Audio, AAC, and MP3.

In addition to Rhapsody’s free music management software, new HP PC customers will have access to the Rhapsody service, which lets anyone listen to and legally share songs of their choosing. Consumers can listen to 25 full tracks from Rhapsody’s extensive music library for free each month, and enjoy unlimited access to the software’s other features at no cost. Consumers can also access Rhapsody’s integrated music download store to purchase their favorite songs and albums; songs are 99 cents each and most albums are $9.99. Downloads purchased from Rhapsody can be transferred to virtually any portable music player, including Apple’s iPod line.

For those looking for an even richer music experience, users can easily upgrade to Rhapsody Unlimited ($9.99 per month), stream an unlimited amount of music, and also download an unlimited number of songs to their PC’s hard drive to enjoy offline for as long as they remain subscribers. Rhapsody Unlimited subscribers can also create custom internet radio stations based on their favorite artists, access thousands of artist-based radio stations or nearly 100 pre-programmed Internet radio stations, and view more than 1,500 music videos within the application
Starting in spring 2006, RealNetworks and HP plan to offer a 30-day free trial of the Rhapsody Unlimited service to consumers who purchase new HP and Compaq consumer notebook and desktop PCs.

“HP is committed to bringing consumers the best PC entertainment experience,” said Bob Lund, general manager, worldwide beyond the box team, Personal Systems Group at HP. “We selected Rhapsody because we want to give our customers a compelling choice for their music management software and easy access to a leading subscription music experience on the Web.”