Google Expands Free Google Play Music Storage to 50,000 Songs

Google today announced an update to its Google Play Music service, expanding the amount of available storage. Users can now store 50,000 songs in the cloud at no cost, up from 20,000.

Content stored within Google Play Music can be played on computers via Google's Music Manager app, on iPhones and iPads via the recently redesigned Google Play Music app, through a Chrome extension, through Chromecast, and on Android devices.

Google's Google Play Music storage does not require a subscription to Google Play Music to use it, making it free for all users.

Those interested in using Google's free music storage can access it by going to the Google Play Music website, skipping the subscription offer, and going straight to the music interface where there's an option to upload music. Content can be uploaded directly from an iTunes library or from any folder.

Google, of course, hopes users will opt-in to its $9.99 per month subscription music service when signing up for free music storage, which offers on-demand access to millions of songs much like Spotify or Beats Music.

With the boost in free storage space, Google Play Music gains a bit of a competitive advantage over Apple's iTunes Match service. iTunes Match costs $25 per year and allows users to store up to 25,000 songs in iCloud, but it gives users the benefit of accessing 256-Kbps AAC DRM-free quality music for any uploaded song that's also available in the iTunes Store.

For those in the Apple ecosystem, it's arguably easier to access songs on any device through iCloud using iTunes Match, but Google Play Music is a viable alternative as the company now has apps for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad available.