Around the Net
Google To Unveil Music Player
- The Hollywood Reporter, Tuesday, May 10, 2011 11:37 AM
Sure to be overshadowed by Microsoft's agreement to buy Skype, Google on Tuesday is expected to unveil its so-called cloud-based music player -- but without the full support of the music
industry, as it had hoped. "Proving unable to come to an agreement with all the major labels for the music service it originally wanted, Google is going to pull an Amazon," The Hollywood Reporter quips, referring to Amazon's recent decision to debut its own digital
music service without top labels' support.
Called Music Beta by Google, the service will allow users to upload their music library to a personal online storage locker, from where they
can stream and download files from Internet connected devices. Critically, however, the service debuts without a licensing deal.
"Google's announcement at this time was unexpected
because it has been negotiating with the music labels for months to try to make a deal to team with them on a cloud music service," reports The New York Times. "Like Amazon, Google does not have the cooperation of music labels, which means that
users cannot do certain things that would legally require licenses, like sharing songs with friends and buying songs from Google."
"A couple of major labels were not as
collaborative and frankly were demanding a set of business terms that were unreasonable and did not allow us to build a product or a business on a sustainable business," Jamie Rosenberg, director
for digital content for Android, told The New York Times.
After speaking with Rosenberg himself, TechCrunch's Jason Kincaid writes: "While he says
that Google will improve on Amazon's offering in many ways, one month from now, I'm guessing it will look significantly less impressive."
Meanwhile, as the Guardian points out, "Apple is widely expected to introduce some form of music
streaming service in the near future following its purchase of digital music provider Lala last year, and has the advantage of an existing relationship with labels through iTunes."
