Oh, Sandisk. Or should that be, oh, record companies? Either way, this won’t end up well.

Sandisk announced today that it, along with the big four record companies, are working on a brand new music format called slotMusic. It’s just a 1GB microSD card pre-loaded with RIAA-approved music. It’s supposed to make it easier for consumers to enjoy music from their cellphones. The reality is something a little less rosy and noble.

First, the facts. These slotMusic cards will be sold at major retail outlets like Best Buy and Wal-Mart. They’re 1GB in size, and all music is encoded at a steady 320 kbps MP3. No DRM, either. To be fair, that’s the maximum quality you can expect from MP3, so no use complaining about that.

The idea here is that consumers, all of whom by now have music-playing cellphones, still don’t have a method for loading their phones up with music. (Going to eBay and buying a compatible USB cable is entirely too much effort for the average guy.) So, Sandisk and the labels step in, offer this pre-loaded microSD card filled with popular music, and bam! New markets for everyone.

Only that will never happen. The only reason why the record labels agreed to this new scheme is because they hate that Apple dominates the music scene these days. Any halfway thought out plan to sell music outside of the Apple and iTunes monopoly will receive their support. That’s just how the labels think these days.

How much do you want to bet that the format completely dies in less than one year?

slotMusic: High Quality, DRM-Free MP3 Music on microSD Cards [SanDisk]