Jul 18, 2011 16:41 GMT  ·  By

Speed and simplicity is what pushed uTorrent to become the most popular BitTorrent client out there, with about 100 million users. It's a great app and the team has managed to add plenty of new features without really altering the core experience.

But BitTorrent, the company behind the protocol and the uTorrent client, has to earn a living too.

And it's now preparing a paid uTorrent Plus version that will come with several extra features for media enthusiasts in particular.

"We’re very excited to release the news that µTorrent will offer a premium, fully equipped client for those who are looking for extra convenience and powerful new features. Expect the first version of µTorrent Plus later this fall," Jordy Berson, Director of Product Management at BitTorrent, announced.

BitTorrent is still working out the details, but the main touted features of the upcoming premium version is that it will allow users to convert files to different formats aimed at portable devices in particular, like the iPhone, PSP and so on.

uTorrent Plus guarantees that your files will play on any device anywhere. How exactly the company plans to do this has not been completely revealed.

"While we’re not yet ready to release all the details, µTorrent Plus is designed for people who are looking for a single solution to find, get and play content anywhere, on any device. Hassles with codec and conversion issues, struggles with device shifting, and more will be a thing of the past," BitTorrent wrote.

The company assures users that uTorrent as they know it is not going anywhere. It's not going to get features removed or crippled, everything in uTorrent Plus is on top of what you already get for free, hence the name.

A solid revenue stream could be a boon for BitTorrent, which has been struggling to monetize the popular technology. However, as with everything else, especially considering the target audience, uTorrent Plus will likely be pirated as well.