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Apple Signs EMI, Cloud Music Deals Almost Done

Wednesday May 18, 2011 7:24 pm PDT by Arnold Kim
CNet reports that Apple has almost completed the agreements with the top four record companies to launch their cloud music offering.
Apple is closing in on obtaining the necessary agreements with the top four record companies that will enable the company to launch a fully licensed cloud-music service, according to sources with knowledge of the talks.
According to CNet, Warner Music Group and EMI Music deals are in place while Sony Music Group and Universal Music Group are "close" and could be completed by next week.

Both Amazon and Google have recently launched cloud-storage and music streaming services but without the record labels' consent. Apple is rumored to be including such a "digital locker" service in the next major version of iOS and has rumored to have purchased "iCloud.com" domain as the possible name for the service.

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Full of Win
102 months ago
Just waiting for the "only iTunes purchased music" hammer to fall. When / if it does, this will be slightly more popular than Ping is currently.
Rating: 7 Votes
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philbeeney
102 months ago
Why do I have this feeling that once Apple has signed and closed these deals, Amazon and Google will be stung with a cease & desist from the RIAA for their cloud music efforts, leaving just Apple as the only place to go for cloud music.
Rating: 5 Votes
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Kapangas
102 months ago
Sweet! I'm sure it'll be better than Google's and Amazon's :D
Rating: 5 Votes
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LoganT
102 months ago

I won't use this service 'cause they'll make you pay for it, that's why mobile me failed.


No, MobileMe failed because Apple charged for something that was offered for free from Google, and wasn't as good as Google.
Rating: 5 Votes
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mdriftmeyer
102 months ago



Just waiting for the "only iTunes purchased music" hammer to fall. When / if it does, this will be slightly more popular than Ping is currently.


You should be in on the negotiations. Clearly, Apple is lost without your prognostications.
Rating: 5 Votes
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AdeFowler
102 months ago



Sweet! I'm sure it'll be better than Google's and Amazon's :D


Or crippled to keep the labels happy? Let's hope not ;)
Rating: 4 Votes
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entropys
102 months ago



Really, anything short of being able to upload 80+ GB of non-iTunes music will elicit a big fat yawn from me. And I seriously doubt this will happen, so...can't say I'm too excited about iCloud.


Seriously?

How long would that take? And why chew bandwidth when Apple already has a copy of each of your songs on their servers?

The best solution would be that a list of your music in iTunes is given to Apple using some sort of software (we could call it genius) and then you just stream the song that is already stored on their servers.
Rating: 4 Votes
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arian19
102 months ago
They should change emails from @me.com to @apple.com

Then it would get some some real attention.
Rating: 3 Votes
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Popeye206
102 months ago

Why not? They are monitoring what calls I make and what mails I write after all, that's common knowledge.

Now think about it, everyone was quickly blaming Mariliyn Manson for the Colombine shooting because they found some of his records in the shooters room. Way easier than blaming parents/school/society or the pharma industries drugs he was on.

I don't think this idea is as far fetched as you think.

Don't you think someone will think of a reason to monitor whatever can be monitored, as proven by the past?

I'm sorry but I'm sick of some witty tinfoil hat comments whenever someone brings up concerns about possible dangers of such technology.

Or do you believe governments & corporations tell the truth all the time? The numerous scandals that pop up all the time seem to suggest otherwise.


You watch too many movies.

The reality is... the government could care less about you unless you do something wrong like murder someone. Companies (like Apple or Google) could care less about you except to try and link your interests to other products or services you may like. Yeah... advertising... but it's a reality of life, it makes money (look at Google).

Sorry to say, other than in the movies, there are no huge conspiracies under way to destroy the world or chase you down with men in black suits based on what music you listen too.
Rating: 3 Votes
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BlackMangoTree
102 months ago
Someone please explain how this is going to work with data caps? i Have 2gb's which would render this service useless.
Rating: 3 Votes

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