subject: Google to Launch its Own Digital Music Service [print this page] Google to Launch its Own Digital Music Service
The digital music market is about to grow in a big way. The Wall Street Journal just confirmed Google's plans to roll out a digital music download and subscription service, to be up and running by 2011. The service, rumored to be called Google Music, would allow users on computers and Android-based phones to take full advantage of this service. With its Android platform gaining ground in the mobile market, Google is seizing the opportunity to further compete with Apple's iTunes and iPhone. Although Google doesn't have much of a background in the music industry, its competitive advantages Android, expertise and market share in online search, and cloud-based operations could make the service a great success.
Android
Android's growth has yet to slow down, with a reported 100,000 new activations each day. A report by AdMob found Android in first place for total mobile Web and app usage. Google's plans for its music service on the Android could give sales and usage even more of a boost. Early reports on Google Music say the search giant plans to add an official app to the Android Market allowing users access to their music on their phones, without connecting it to a computer first. Users would also be able to stream music, similar to Pandora. Android is well-positioned to help Google Music grow with Android models available on nearly every wireless network, there's a huge opportunity to take advantage of the existing user-base, and further target users who are joining every day.
Online Search
It's hard to say how many search queries Google handles each day estimates range from 235 million to as many as 3 billion. Out of all of those, searches related to music and entertainment must be a few million at the least. Imagine searching for a certain song on Google, where results would include the song's lyrics, links to related songs and artists based on past searches, information on the artist, and a link to download or stream the song directly all in one place. Google's search capabilities can make this a reality. Users would know where to turn for every bit of information they need, all in one place. Google certainly has an edge to take the music listening and search experience to a new level.
To read more about Google Music, visit Sparxoo.com.
