Google Press Event Expected to Debut New Music Services?
Google sent invitations to the media for a press event that may feature the debut of a new music service.
The event will be held in Los Angeles and may unveil the music service's cloud storage and social networking features. The exact location of the event will be Mr. Brainwash's Studio and will start at 2 p.m.; although, the doors will open at 1:15 p.m.
For those who wish to view the event online, a live stream will be provided at Android’s YouTube profile.
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Google's music downloading service will combine an MP3 download store with a cloud storage system set up to allow users to store songs remotely and stream them on multiple devices.
A beta version of the music service was launched earlier this year. This test version came with no licenses.
So far, Google has been unable to acquire Sony Music Entertainment or Warner Music Group for its new music program. Google is still negotiating with both record labels. However, Google did sign a licensing agreement for the new service with Universal Music Group.
Google is also aiming to sign up several worldwide agreements with other music majors. Some music executives believe the company is most likely to offer Google Music in the United States before expanding the offering to other countries, including the United Kingdom.
Google had some difficulty in its meetings with its unsigned record labels. The Internet giant wants the music service to be Android focused, but the record labels want a more open iTunes competitor for the service.
Music executives are enthusiastic about the idea, because it gives consumers an amnesty for all previous illegal copies or downloads.
"Google is in the very, very early phases of adding consumer products to our portfolio. The media industry didn’t see us as that. They saw us a search company,” said Andy Rubin, Google’s Mobile chief.
Screenshots of Google's music service recently surfaced online. The format of the music service's appearance looks somewhat similar to iTunes.
Also seen in the screenshots is the pricing structure of the music. Prices seem to range from $0.99 to $1.29.
