Update: I eventually got hold of Orange in France, who told me they had incorrectly translated their press release to English, overstating the DRM-free features. Though the release states tracks “can be freely transferred to other digital media such as music players”, the offering in fact uses Windows Media DRM over OMA files (for mobile) and WMA files (for PC). Orange’s announcement omitted the fact that users can only transfer a track up to five times.

Original: Orange has launched its own unlimited-music subscription service, Musique Max, in France. With a million-plus repertoire from the four majors and two indies, it’s essentially the same kind of offering already seen from the likes of Napster (NSDQ: NAPS), Jamba and Omnifone - downloads can go to both PCs over broadband and mobile handsets over the air, and are auto-synchronized using Orange Mobile Player.

What’s new - apparently, no DRM: “All titles downloaded using Musique Max can be kept for an unlimited period and freely transferred to other digital media such as music players and compatible mobiles.” Though it’s not clear yet which format Musique Max uses, so there’s some question over this claim. Customers can pay the €12 ($18.5, £9.48) monthly on an incremental basis rather than on a long-term contract, however, though there’s a 500-songs-per-month cap.

Orange says it’s part of its “content everywhere” strategy, with the player also linking to podcasts, artist info and internet radio offered on orange.fr. It hopes to add more labels (it’s sorely lacking on the indie front). Orange content services SVP Herve Payan told me in January: “If we don’t remove the DRM, we believe it will be slow growth. Ideally, we will have MP3.”

Also unclear - how Orange has resolved the conflict with Nokia (NYSE: NOK), which has its own Comes With Music program. All of which is slow going - so far, less than two percent of mobile users download music over the air, according to Jupiter. Omnifone’s MusicStation last week overtook Napster as the UK’s biggest provider in the space.

In the release, label execs commented on the emerging mobile music subscription model. Universal Music France CEO Pascal Negre: “Music subscription packages fit in with our strategy, because they offer secure, legal access to hundreds of thousands of titles across a very broad audience, without infringing upon artists’ or producers’ rights.”  EMI Music France VP Nathalie Collin: “The economic model in the music world is changing fast. Partnership with organisations capable of expanding and facilitating access to digital music is our initial response to the problems that illegal downloads raise as regards hindrance to artists’ development.”

• Most Adults Don’t Want Mobile Music - Research
• @ Midem: Orange Plans DRM-Free Music Rentals, Still Talking To Nokia