Google Music to launch by the Holidays?

[rudeguy]

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/rumor_google_music_launch_holiday_season

Sources are reporting today that Google is deep in talks to get music labels on board for a Google competitor to iTunes. The service would offer digital downloads, as well as a digital locker that users could stream music from. This is a feature Apple has yet to implement despite buying music streaming startup Lala several months ago.

The man behind Google's Android operating system, Andy Rubin, is supposedly leading the talks with music labels. Rubin is the driving force for getting the service up and running this year, say sources. The labels meanwhile, see this an opportunity to take some of the wind out of iTunes' sails.

Google will have a steep hill to climb if they can get Google Music off the ground. Amazon has thus far been able to capture only 12% of the US digital music market. Google's ace in the hole will be Android. If this streaming is integrated with Android handsets via a downloadable app, it could make the service very desirable.

If this does offer cloud storage with decent streaming....it could change everything.

 

[MJinZ]

I can hear the torturous wails and girlish screams of the Carrier's at just the sound of the hips of their data networks fracturing in a dozen places as we speak.

 

[sciwizam]

I wonder how Amazon feels about this..

 

[Demo24]

hmm. Android + streaming = yay!

However, it would be really cool if you could stream music you already own. Of course that will not be possible to do, but would be nice.

 

[rudeguy]

hmm. Android + streaming = yay!

However, it would be really cool if you could stream music you already own. Of course that will not be possible to do, but would be nice.

Mspot does that but the sound quality is horrid. I'm by no means a music snob but that was unbearable.

I'm very, very curious to see what happens with this.

 

[sciwizam]

hmm. Android + streaming = yay!

However, it would be really cool if you could stream music you already own. Of course that will not be possible to do, but would be nice.

Google said, in May at Google I/O, that this streaming feature will be in the future android version, after Froyo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8unC9bA4O8

Skip to 3:45

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

very interesting, just need Froyo for my DX

 

[Anubis]

hmm. Android + streaming = yay!

However, it would be really cool if you could stream music you already own. Of course that will not be possible to do, but would be nice.

Last.fm sorta lets you stream music you own, you can set it up to play from "your library" however you have to let it scrob your lib first which takes some time

 

[AMDZen]

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/rumor_google_music_launch_holiday_season



If this does offer cloud storage with decent streaming....it could change everything.

I agree, this might be the dealmaker for people like me who are on the edge in converting to Droid.

All that would remain is for a manufacturer to make a Droid device that isn't made of plastic and I'm sold.

 

[CurseTheSky]

If I can purchase music DRM-free (like Amazon MP3s) and play it in the music player of my choice (unlike iTunes, though I know there are simple work-arounds), I'll jump on board.

If I can purchase music DRM-free AND the music is available in lossless formats, I'll make it my sole avenue for buying new music.

C'mon Google, you know you can do it...

 

[rudeguy]

If I can purchase music DRM-free (like Amazon MP3s) and play it in the music player of my choice (unlike iTunes, though I know there are simple work-arounds), I'll jump on board.

If I can purchase music DRM-free AND the music is available in lossless formats, I'll make it my sole avenue for buying new music.

C'mon Google, you know you can do it...

Agreed. They need to go big on this or not do it at all. We don't need another crappy music service like eMusic.