Google to Launch Music Service to Compete Against iTunes?

[MacRumors]

In a brief note, TechCrunch reports that it has heard from multiple sources that Google is preparing to launch a music service that would appear to compete against Apple's iTunes Store.

Google will soon launch a music service, we've heard from multiple sources, and the company has spent the last several weeks securing content for the launch of the service from the major music labels. One source has referred to the new service as Google Audio.

It is unclear at this time whether the service would offer music downloads or streaming, or perhaps both. TechCrunch will offer more details as they become available.

Article Link: Google to Launch Music Service to Compete Against iTunes?

 

[schalkse]

Watch out Apple, Google could very well be the next MS for Apple.

 

[sadesh]

Watch out Apple, Google could very well be the next MS for Apple.

or Google for Windows Live/Bing

 

[Alexwithad]

Ehh iTunes is too far ahead of the game for Google to be on a competitive level at this point. I just recently discovered iTunes U...awesome! Helps with my chem and bio lectures haha

 

[richard.mac]

GTunes

 

[IgnatiusTheKing]

Ehh iTunes is too far ahead of the game for Google to be on a competitive level at this point. I just recently discovered iTunes U...awesome! Helps with my chem and bio lectures haha

Competition can only bring about better products and lower prices.

 

[zombitronic]

Sounds to me like they're competing more with Amazon than Apple.

 

[jzuena]

Competition can only bring about better products and lower prices.

In the normal world that would be true. But when the RIAA is involved, the plan is to wrest control from Apple so that they can raise prices.

 

[schalkse]

I think the Steves (Jobs and Ballmer) should join forces and f**kin kill Google!
Pass me my aluminum unibody chair to throw at them!

Google is indeed starting to be a pain in the ass.
Apple launches iphone, Google comes up with android.
Browsers by the dozen, Google has to have it's own browser.
OS's anough and Google has to have it's own OS
and it keeps on coming.
Seems like Eric want's to google the world around

 

[AdeFowler]

but I thought there was no money to be made from music downloads

 

[sishaw]

Google certainly has the resources to get in the game and compete. Can they create an experience as seamless as iTunes + iPod/iPhone, or provide other benefits (advanced search tools, perhaps) that attract customers? That remains to be seen.

 

[sishaw]

but I thought there was no money to be made from music downloads

Well, the more Google becomes omnipresent, the more they can make from targeted advertising.

 

[klittle32]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

Why are so many people opposed to Google entering this market? It is not like it will negatively impact your iTunes and iPhone experience. Furthermore, we all know that Google has done well at so much of what it does. Personally, I welcome this competition.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

In the normal world that would be true. But when the RIAA is involved, the plan is to wrest control from Apple so that they can raise prices.

But if you raise prices too much, people resort back to p2p networks... So I don't get what eliminating control from Apple would do.

 

[capoeirista]

So in future I'll have the choice of buying from iTunes, amazon, play.com or Google? This can only be a good thing for me as a consumer.

 

[dequardo]

Competition can only bring about better products and lower prices.

Agree 100%. Maybe this and the Verizon adoption of Android devices will get Apple to step its game up. I've given up on ever seeing a removable battery but anyone now think there will be no multitasking in the next iphone?

 

[DipDog3]

Competition is GOOD!

 

[allpar]

I love Google's core services, but Apple has nothing to be worried about. Google has had their failures - numerous ones now - including an attempt to go after ebay, paypal, affiliate marketers, ...

 

[direzze]

It would only be worthwhile if it was all done through YouTube... but cloud computing has proven unreliable lately.

 

[Darth.Titan]

Seeing as Google seems to have an "in the cloud" type mindset, I'm inclined to think that this will be some kind of streaming service. It will probably be tied into a companion app for the Android platform.

Heck, they'll probably create an iPhone version that Apple will reject due to "duplicating functionality."

 

[blokey]

It may not lower prices but it will increase the amount of specialized content delivered from specific outlets of distribution.

Now THAT is a win-win.

 

[djellison]

Why would someone rate this story negative?

Competition is good - it keeps the players on the toes and helps keep costs under control.

 

[lsvtecjohn3]

It just got real, time for Apple to come out with a search engine

 

[BornAgainMac]

Maybe Google will be the new underdog Apple. Apple will be the new dominating Microsoft, Microsoft will be the new non evil Google.

 

[Bubba Satori]

In the normal world that would be true. But when the RIAA is involved, the plan is to wrest control from Apple so that they can raise prices.

Real competition never, ever, results in the raising of prices, in and of itself. It's the constraint of competition, supply and demand factors, and other things such as taxes, that raises prices.