Competition is brewing in the cloud. Amazon today kicked off a new cloud based file storage and music streaming service. According to reports, Google and Apple are hot on Amazon’s heels with similar services. Here’s what’s going on:
- Amazon has officially launched its Cloud Drive and Cloud Player services. The service will let users store music and any other files to Amazon servers. Users will then be able to access their files with any device that is connected to the internet. Users can upload files to the Cloud Drive and the Cloud Player will stream stored music. As of launch, the Cloud Player is only available on the web and Android devices. Amazon is giving away 5 gigabytes of storage free. Additional storage plans are available at a cost. Amazon is offering 20 gigabytes of free storage with the purchase of an mp3 album.
- CNET reported last week that Google has begun testing Google Music internally, a sign that the much anticipated service is nearly ready to launch. Google is in talks with the major record labels to acquire the “to store users’ existing music libraries on the company’s servers.” Music will also be available for purchase through an Android app. According to CNET, the music industry is “giddy” about Google Music because it will be a major competitor against iTunes.
- Bloomberg reports that Apple is negotiating with major record labels to provide iTunes customers with a permanent backup of music purchases if the originals are damaged or lost, said the people. The service also would allow downloads to iPad, iPod and iPhone devices linked to the same iTunes account, they said. The move would be a step closer to universal access to content centrally stored on the Internet.
Another potential player is UltraViolet, a digital locker service backed by major Hollywood studios as well as tech heavyweights such as Intel and Microsoft. Ultraviolet will allow users to buy digital movies and store them to cloud servers. Users will then be able to stream stored movies to any web enabled device. UltraViolet is scheduled to launch later this year.
