Apple to Create Cloud-Based Music Locker for Licensed Music
Not to be left behind in the vapor, Apple has announced a cloud-based music storage system, which probably will be called Music Locker. Unlike Amazon, which is offering cloud-based storage in its Cloud Player service, Apple's program will be getting licenses from large music labels and will pay the labels for the privilege. This will allow users to store music they've downloaded from their iTunes store and listen to them on multiple devices. Amazon can't allow the uploading of Digital Rights Management-protected music to its system, which means people can't store iTunes-purchased music on Cloud Player.
Apple is set to launch its Music Locker service ahead of Google, Inc., which has been working feverishly on a cloud-based music service of its own. Apple will allow iTunes customers to store their songs on a remote server and then access them wherever they have an Internet connection. Right now, Apple has yet to sign any new licenses for the service, but sources say that at least two of the four major music companies (Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony, and EMI) have made deals with Apple.
Reuters reported that Apple has "completed work on an online music storage service," but said the company had not obtained licenses from any labels so far.
Amazon's service, without a license, can do the same thing that Apple can, but without "robust service" Reuters says. Licensing allows better user interfaces, sound quality, and features.
Just because Amazon doesn't have a licensing with the major labels now, doesn't mean it's not trying. The company is in heated talks with industry bigwigs as you read this. Some say Google also is bargaining for a cloud storage service of its own. Google is particularly frustrated because it had planned to launch such a music service as a feature of its Android mobile operating system as far back as last Christmas. Obviously, things fell apart.
Right now, Amazon allows its users a limited amount of storage for free. It's unclear if Apple intends to charge its users for the service.
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