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Google is set to announce a new music subscription service tomorrow at its annual Google I/O conference, reports The Verge, having finalized deals with Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment., and Warner Music Group.

The service is said to be a direct Spotify competitor, offering up songs on demand that can be streamed to a computer or mobile device for a set monthly fee.

Though Google has had an existing music service since 2011, it operates in a manner that is similar to iTunes, allowing users to purchase individual songs and albums. It also has a "locker" that lets users store digital entertainment collections.

Pricing information on the new service has yet to be released, but The New York Times claims that Google will not offer a freemium ad-supported tier.
Google's streaming service will not include a free tier, according to the people briefed on the plans who did not want to be identified discussing confidential matters. The subscription rate was not known, but is expected to be similar to that of Spotify and other competing services, like Rhapsody and Rdio, which tend to charge about $10 a month.
While Google's streaming music service will be released ahead of Apple's rumored iRadio service, the two are fundamentally different. With a Spotify model Google will be able to offer songs piecemeal, while Apple's iRadio is said to closely resemble Pandora, which plays a selection of random songs based on user preference. As of last week, Apple was still in negotiations with music labels.

Google's subscription music service will be connected to Play, Google's digital content distribution platform. The Wall Street Journal notes that the upcoming streaming music service is separate from a second paid music subscription service in the works from YouTube, which would give users access to music videos and audio-only songs.

Google I/O is set to kick off tomorrow with an opening keynote at 9am PT at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

Article Link: Google to Unveil Streaming Music Service at Google I/O Tomorrow
 

iSunrise

macrumors 6502
May 11, 2012
382
118
Yes Apple, that´s how you do it. iRadio is dead before it even started.

If iRadio doesn´t offer anything special that is worth it´s use, don´t even offer it at all.

Google is capturing more of the worldwide market, every day, while you are greedy as **** and because of that aren´t even able to come to an agreement with the record companies. Sad story.
 
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4TheLoveOfTech

macrumors 6502
Feb 27, 2013
432
0
Yes Apple, that´s how you do it. iRadio is dead before it even started.

If iRadio doesn´t offer anything special that is worth it´s use, don´t even offer it at all.

But Tim said Apple has great things in the pipeline.

This article is making an a lot of definitive statements when "nothing" has been officially announced until tomorrow.

Google's Music's service is currently Free up to 20,000 songs and has music match. Apple is a paid service. The speculation will be One Library for paid streaming in addition to your own music match.

Google will likely have a iOS app out before the mythical iRadio ever makes it to market.

Tim Cook, 2nd highest paid CEO in the tech industry and released nothing in 2012.

At least Balmer turned a YoY profit for Microsoft.
 

iSunrise

macrumors 6502
May 11, 2012
382
118
How can such a huge company like Google complete these negotiations which would seem to me to be inherently more damaging to the music labels, but Apple (a supposed negotation guru) is unable to create a simple pandora-like radio?
Well, for one, Pandora and Spotify or the new Google streaming service aren´t exactly comparable. We´re talking about a radio type model vs. a streaming type model where you have complete freedom over what you want to hear.

And from Apple´s perspective, their reasoning is that, because they have such a huge customer base already, they can be greedy to no end and ask prices that are WAY lower than any other company that is currently offering a comparable service.

If Apple were really interested in something truly awesome again, they would need to announce a subscription based model with comparable pricing to Spotify where the main differentiator is that you have access to the huge music database of iTunes. That would really beat everything else out today, handily.
 
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CBZinger

macrumors newbie
Aug 14, 2012
14
1
Google Music Subscription Service? Why??

Why is everyone gung ho on subscription services? I'd rather own my music than succumb to the pricing models of these sites that you have to keep a membership on. The music is mine. I bought it, I own it, period. That's my right. I enjoy streaming audio through the likes of Spotify, Slacker and Pandora but if I want to buy music to keep for later in a library these apps offer me that capability to buy it outright, and that's as they should keep it. I can always go back to offline and listen to it (ever hear of no cell service when listening to a subscription service while driving?), then that's my prerogative as well.

Did anyone happen to notice that the as-yet-to-be-named subscription service they're talking about is going to compete with a similar service offered by YouTube? It's just another way that Google can pilfer cash from people, and both services will end up competing with each other, eventually to fall dead in the water just like every other subscription service that has tried to work and keep its members.

I'll wait and see if this is going to be very successful. Googlers will rejoice but I'll hold off on any further laudible praise unless they can prove it's worth. I think this will be another service they'll shut down in no less than 2 years just like half the other projects they've killed that had promise.
 

ThunderSkunk

macrumors 68040
Dec 31, 2007
3,774
3,976
Milwaukee Area
If it's not music I own, I can just listen to the radio.
If it is music I own, I want to be able to listen to it independent of whether or not I have an internet connection.

I don't understand the fascination with streaming music.
 

kiantech

macrumors regular
Jun 9, 2007
236
9
How can such a huge company like Google complete these negotiations which would seem to me to be inherently more damaging to the music labels, but Apple (a supposed negotation guru) is unable to create a simple pandora-like radio?

Google offers to pay more.
 

samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
How can such a huge company like Google complete these negotiations which would seem to me to be inherently more damaging to the music labels, but Apple (a supposed negotation guru) is unable to create a simple pandora-like radio?

Because Apple was trying to get a cheaper price and undercut the going rate?
 

samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
Did anyone happen to notice that the as-yet-to-be-named subscription service they're talking about is going to compete with a similar service offered by YouTube? It's just another way that Google can pilfer cash from people, and both services will end up competing with each other, eventually to fall dead in the water just like every other subscription service that has tried to work and keep its members.

How is it competing with youtube?

"pilfer" ?

pil·fer
/ˈpilfər/
Verb
Steal (typically things of relatively little value).
Synonyms
filch - steal - purloin - lift - pinch - thieve - prig


Really? I think if you choose to be a subscriber and get a service it can't be considered stealing. Do you?

And since if it's a subscription service (my opinion) where you never really own the music anyway - what difference does it make if it fails. You just go to a different subscription service. At most you would lose playlists, right? When I moved from one building to another I lost RCN cable and had to go with Time Warner. I didn't "lose" anything. Just had to switch services...
 

bozzykid

macrumors 68020
Aug 11, 2009
2,428
491
Unlike Spotify, the advantage Google has is they can offer purchasing and subscription options. It will be interesting if they can integrate your current library with the streaming option. This would be good for people to discover music and still be able to own their music for eternity.
 

pacers721

macrumors member
Jul 30, 2008
61
0
Why is everyone gung ho on subscription services? I'd rather own my music than succumb to the pricing models of these sites that you have to keep a membership on. The music is mine. I bought it, I own it, period. That's my right. I enjoy streaming audio through the likes of Spotify, Slacker and Pandora but if I want to buy music to keep for later in a library these apps offer me that capability to buy it outright, and that's as they should keep it. I can always go back to offline and listen to it (ever hear of no cell service when listening to a subscription service while driving?), then that's my prerogative as well.

Did anyone happen to notice that the as-yet-to-be-named subscription service they're talking about is going to compete with a similar service offered by YouTube? It's just another way that Google can pilfer cash from people, and both services will end up competing with each other, eventually to fall dead in the water just like every other subscription service that has tried to work and keep its members.

I'll wait and see if this is going to be very successful. Googlers will rejoice but I'll hold off on any further laudible praise unless they can prove it's worth. I think this will be another service they'll shut down in no less than 2 years just like half the other projects they've killed that had promise.

I think a music subscription service is way more conducive to how people listen to music. To me the beauty of a subscription service is that you have unrestricted access to SO much more music. It has the potential to remove so many barriers to finding and exploring new music. Spending $10 to check out a new album never made sense to me. It doesn't scale. With a subscription service, people can explore thousands of new songs.
 

daneoni

macrumors G4
Mar 24, 2006
11,569
1,123
Yes Apple, that´s how you do it. iRadio is dead before it even started.

If iRadio doesn´t offer anything special that is worth it´s use, don´t even offer it at all.

Google is capturing more of the worldwide market, every day, while you are greedy as **** and because of that aren´t even able to come to an agreement with the record companies. Sad story.

Love how you just assume you know what you're talking about when in fact you haven't the faintest idea. But please continue pontificating.
 

Todd B.

macrumors 6502
May 1, 2013
434
1
Yawn.

And, yet, nobody will care. Just another way for them to harvest everything about you; so over Google. That's the problem with them. They might have some decent ideas but their management is so boneheaded and borderline evil that they get stuck on stupid ideas like cars, glasses, and a stupid cable system that will never see the light of day.

The sooner Google goes away the better.

How can such a huge company like Google complete these negotiations which would seem to me to be inherently more damaging to the music labels, but Apple (a supposed negotation guru) is unable to create a simple pandora-like radio?

Because Apple waits to do it right while Google does it half-arsed and then kills it a year later.
 

ezhilk

macrumors member
May 15, 2011
54
0
Michigan
If it's not music I own, I can just listen to the radio.
If it is music I own, I want to be able to listen to it independent of whether or not I have an internet connection.

I don't understand the fascination with streaming music.

With Spotify, you pay $10 a month to download a whole ton of songs for offline listening, without the need for an internet connection. And there are literally millions of songs to choose from, on demand.
 

samcraig

macrumors P6
Jun 22, 2009
16,779
41,982
USA
Yawn.

And, yet, nobody will care. Just another way for them to harvest everything about you; so over Google. That's the problem with them. They might have some decent ideas but their management is so boneheaded and borderline evil that they get stuck on stupid ideas like cars, glasses, and a stupid cable system that will never see the light of day.

The sooner Google goes away the better.



Because Apple waits to do it right while Google does it half-arsed and then kills it a year later.

Fantastic satirical post!
 

Obese Lobsters

macrumors member
Jul 3, 2010
99
0
I don't know why commenters always think that Google's content services will make a significant dent in each market. The biggest player for content aside from Apple I believe is Amazon. All we have to do is look at Amazon's impact in content: Kindle, Prime instant streaming and the integration of Amazon gift cards throughout the entire store. Plus, the average customer trusts Amazon because of their customer service. At least that's my opinion.
 

ValSalva

macrumors 68040
Jun 26, 2009
3,783
259
Burpelson AFB
Yawn.

And, yet, nobody will care. Just another way for them to harvest everything about you; so over Google. That's the problem with them. They might have some decent ideas but their management is so boneheaded and borderline evil that they get stuck on stupid ideas like cars, glasses, and a stupid cable system that will never see the light of day.

The sooner Google goes away the better.



Because Apple waits to do it right while Google does it half-arsed and then kills it a year later.

This. If this music service turns out to be true but eventually doesn't feed the information devouring money printing ad monster then Google will kill it.

The life expectancy of a Google project/hobby is less than a year and a half. Can't trust them and won't waste my time with them.
 
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