Rhapsody turns on offline music, Spotify goes social

Rhapsody for iPhone [free with subscription - iTunes link] has finally released an update to allow offline access to their music:

With a Rhapsody subscription, you can tap into over 9 million full-length songs, and download as much music as you want to your device. Create playlists for your commute, your workout or your flight - and download them instantly.

You can download and try Rhapsody for iPhone free for a week, and if you like what you hear, you can pony up $9.99 a month for a full subscription (which is locked to one iPhone).

It's US only, but we don't feel too bad for Europeans as Spotify [Free with subscription - iTunes link] revealed they were integrating Facebook Connect for the usual slew of new social interactivity, including sharing playlists, favorites, and likely the ability to mass shun songs and users who displease the collective (joking! A little!).

If you're a Rhapsody or Spotify user and you check out the updated functionality, let us know how it sounds to you!

[Engadget, 9to5Mac]

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.