LOS ANGELES (AP) - Apple Inc. says a new consumer study shows
its iTunes online music store vaulted past Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in
February to become the top overall music retailer in the U.S.
Apple said Thursday that consumer surveys conducted by market
research firm The NPD Group show iTunes' music sales surpassed
those of the discount retailer in January and February.
Itunes has sold more than 4 billion tracks since its launch in
2003, thanks in part to the popularity of its iPod portable music
players.
The NPD surveys count every 12 digital downloads as one CD. They
exclude mobile music sales.
A call to NPD was not immediately returned.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)