Google planning Google Audio music service?
According to reports, Google is developing Google Audio, a music service that may involve streaming or downloading, or both. Could this be a wrong note for the search behemoth?
Google is planning a music service called Google Audio, according to reports. TechCrunch reckons Google is in talks with record labels for a new service, which may involve downloading or streaming, or both.
It's certainly an interesting time for online music, with Napster, Spotify and Sky Songs all making headlines in the last month. How Google plans to make money from the service is still unknown. Will it be a freemium service such as Spotify? Will there be different levels of payment, like Sky Songs? Will it be a social network like Last.fm?
Google already offers an ad-supported free download service in China, which has major-label backing. The plan may be to roll out this service to the US, then the rest of the world.
Google isn't the only company planing to enter this space: music-blog hub Mog is launching a service in the US before Thanksgiving -- that's the end of November to us -- that will arrive over here in the next six months. Let us know your thoughts in the comments -- is this a wrong note for the search behemoth, or is Google your ideal musical accompaniment?