• Reuters, Thursday, September 2, 2010 11:40 PM

Google Inc is in talks with music labels on plans for a download store and a digital song locker that would allow its mobile users to play songs wherever they are as it steps up its rivalry with Apple Inc. Andy Rubin, Google's vice president of engineering, hopes to have the service up and running by Christmas.

The music industry hopes to benefit from a battle for control of the mobile phone and computer desktop between Apple and Google as both technology giants go head-to-head in a wide range of media and consumer technology areas including online TV and movies, mobile phones, software and even advertising. "What you'll have is a very powerful player in the market that's good for the music business," said a label executive.

Sales of Android-based phones have rocketed in recent months to 200,000 a day, according to Google, matching the hugely popular iPhones and iPads from Apple which are based on its iOS technology.

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