leaders have talked with the top four record companies about plans to offer streaming music service free for consumers, several music industry sources told CNET.Apple's leaders have not revealed many details about their plans, but did discuss the offer iTunes users a means to save copies of their music libraries on Apple's servers. The benefits to an iTunes user will include the ability to back up your music and access songs from the Internet from any Internet-connected device, and be from anywhere in the world.
Apple's song downloads, apparently not affected. Apple has told some music executives that they see on the streaming function as a "value add" that could help stimulate the sale. Apple indicated in negotiations that the current service could be ready to deploy as soon as this spring.
It is unlikely but not impossible that Apple will announce streaming service to a scheduled Jan. 27 press event, where Steve Jobs & Co. are widely expected to unveil a new tablet device. Apple has not publicly disclosed details of the plan, but to the four major record companies, according to sources with knowledge of the discussions. To provide this type of streaming service - even if it is to store and distribute the music you already purchased by a consumer - my sources say Apple may be necessary to negotiate new agreements with the labels.
An Apple spokesman would not comment.
Apple always the curiosity of iTunes fans last month when it bought Lala, a struggling streaming music service. Since then, many people guessed that Apple planned to use Lala and its leaders to stream music and possibly video too. Michael Roberton, founder of MP3.com and one of the tech sector's best-known agitators, led to more speculation Tuesday when he wrote on TechCrunch: "Apple plans to upgrade their users almost overnight into a cloud music service in an ambitious move to beat Amazon and others. "He cites unnamed music industry sources.
Robertson said Wednesday that many people involved in digital music thinks Apple is vulnerable when it comes to cloud computing. Streaming content is considered by many to be the next wave in digital entertainment, and Apple has not had much of a profile in this area. In the past two years, consumers have shown that they like streaming music. Pandora, the 10-year-old streaming radio service, last week announced it had recorded its first profitable quarter.
Robertson said he expects to see an "upload" button on iTunes as part of a future update.
Still, Robertson said an iTunes streaming plan can be problematic for the music industry. There is a possibility that Apple can not believe it has to compensate, or even buy new licenses to stream legally purchased songs to the owners, "says Robertson. As the largest music retailer in the world, Apple has kind of muscle to launch the service without asking for permission, according to Robertson.
"I have spoken with one of the labels the guys about this," Robertson said during our interview. "The person said that the labels are not very happy, but they are not sure that Apple will not try to jam this through no matter what the labels want. Apple can say: 'We sell 2 billion songs and this is what we do. "
On the issue of iTunes have licenses to play legally purchased music, Robertson has some experience. He fights a copyright lawsuit filed two years ago by EMI Music to its streaming-music service, MP3tunes.com. EMI argues that MP3tunes does not have authorization to exploit the company's music this way. Robertson counters that there is nothing illegal about the storage and streaming of someone's legally purchased songs. His case would come to a conclusion later this year.
Another possible conflict between Apple and the labels may come when Apple's streaming service starts to hurt subscription music services, "said Robertson. If Apple is allowed to stream music to a user anywhere in the world, why would anyone pay $ 8 a month subscription? I pointed out that the subscription services also offer all-you-can-eat music. Robertson says that the major and most important songs to music fans are the ones they already own.
"An iTunes streaming service could close the window of opportunity for labels to create a new type of subscription service," said Mr. Robertson.
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