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Google Developing Web-Based iTunes Competitor, Acquires Simplify Media for Android Me

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Apr 12, 2001
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Google's major announcements at its Google I/O conference continue today, with the company announcing that it has acquired Simplify Media to assist it with rolling out a new syncing service that will allows users to push apps and music directly to their Android-based mobile devices over the air.

According to TechCrunch, Google's demo of its next-generation Android operating system codenamed "Froyo" included a new section of the Android Market devoted to music, offering a possible significant competitor to Apple's iTunes.
Details are sparse at the moment, but here's how this basically works. You go to the Market on the web, find a song you like, click the download button, and just like with apps, the song starts to download on your Android devices. So it's iTunes, over the web, with auto-syncing. No word on who the partners are for this, what the prices will be, etc.
Click to expand...
Simplify Media announced in mid-March that it was pulling its popular iPhone applications and preparing to move in a "new direction", which now appears to be related to Google's acquisition of the company and development of the auto syncing service.

Google's forthcoming desktop application based on Simplify Media's technology will reportedly allow users to make their entire non-DRM music library available for streaming directly to their Android-based devices with a single button click.

Article Link: Google Acquires Simplify Media, Preparing Android Media and App Auto Syncing
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/05/20/google-acquires-simplify-media-preparing-android-media-and-app-auto-syncing/
And the software will display ads, ads, and ads!

Oh and Google has not been successful on non-web applications...
 
This is really great news

This is going to push Apple to up their game WRT online syncing of data for the iPhone and iPad.

iTunes and that USB cable will soon be the vestigial organs of the iPad/iPhone ecology. Think of it as evolution in action.
 
This just reminds me I paid $111 dollars for mobileme. Mostly just to keep my email address name:mad:

I still think MobileMe is a good idea with bad implementation.
 
I think it's all misdirection. Microsoft is sitting back, probably laughing at Apple/Google for their non-stop one-ups on acquisitions. In reality, Apple and Google are setting the stage for the future and Microsoft is doing what it always does... nothing (well, Office 2020 is planned, I'm sure).
 
Google has been ripping apple all day at their press conference.

Remember when they were friends?
 
Oh, Google... how you love to taunt Apple so!

Now all we need is Google Aftershave and Google "Ad of the day" Toilet Paper and world domination will be in sight ;)
 
deputy_doofy said:
I think it's all misdirection. Microsoft is sitting back, probably laughing at Apple/Google for their non-stop one-ups on acquisitions. In reality, Apple and Google are setting the stage for the future and Microsoft is doing what it always does... nothing (well, Office 2020 is planned, I'm sure).
Click to expand...

why pump bills into R&D when you can have others do it for u.
 
crap.

Son of a...! I was really hoping that Apple was gonna be the ones who acquired them. I have been using Simplify Media since day one with my iPhone - streaming my entire iTunes library from my home iMac no matter where I was. It had its hiccups, but for the most part it frickin' rocked. I just hope that Apple has this sort of streaming capability up their sleeve. I guess I've gotten kinda spoiled, cause it will feel so old fashioned to have to actually sync music to my iPhone again :(
 
A lot of the things they have demoed AREN'T for 2.2, they're for the “future”.

And about 5% of the demos have actually worked.

It all sounds impressive though. For the future. I'm sure Apple is working on tons of impressive ideas every day as well and they'll tell us about them when they are ready.

Peace said:
They've been using a Macbook Pro to do it with too.
Click to expand...
And iPad.
 
aiqw9182 said:
Just another one to add to the list.
Click to expand...

It's interesting to contrast this list (and even what MS has acquired over the years) with Apple's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mergers_and_acquisitions_by_Apple

Obviously, Apple paid far less for their acquisitions, and there are far fewer of them. But Apple seems to choose companies that complement what Apple is already doing (or is planning to do). They're just a small piece of Apple's puzzle. Google's acquisitions, on the other hand, become the company. They didn't have a music distribution system, so they bought one. I wonder if that practice is sustainable, given the amount Google pays for the companies.

EDIT: Looking over MS's acquisitions, I was surprised to find that they have a $5 billion stake in AT&T. Hmmmm....
 
Who voted negative on this story?

Competition improves products people. You sound like crybabies that only want Apple to innovate. Weak.
 
As soon as that huge new server farm is up and running and the bugs worked out, these services and functionalities will all belong to Apple users ;)

All your streaming ...
 
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