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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.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)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.
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.
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.