As we hinted in the “Google I/O 2011 Preview” post, the search giant will launch its own cloud-based music service later in the day. From what we’ve heard, you could expect a service that works like the “criticized by the major labels” Amazon Music, allowing users to upload songs and listen/stream them on their smartphones and/or computers.
Google had problems with big labels and decided to launch the service without their support. According to Jamie Rosenberg, who oversees digital content and strategy for Android, a couple of the major labels were “less focused on the innovative vision that we put forward, and more interested in an unreasonable and unsustainable set of business terms.” What a surprise… not!
Google Music will launch in an invite-only beta today, offering users the ability to store up to 20,000 songs without charge. In comparison, Amazon’s service launched with 5GB of free storage (about 2,000 songs) with the option to upgrade to 20GB for a nominal fee. The online retailer also allows its customers to buy songs from major labels.
Meanwhile, Apple — which has a solid deal with major labels — is planning to launch its own cloud-based music offering and will most likely be charging for access…
[Via: AllThingsD]