Google to offer Music Services
Google has another great plan - to introduce a service allowing users to listen to music over the internet for free or buy them - in a battle to overthrow iTunes. This “One Box” initiative is possible via partnerships with four music services online. They will stream songs samples from iLike.com, offer buying options through Amazon.com and Apple iTunes, as well as stream songs from LaLa.com.
The content is set to be displayed similar to the way companies get individual pages for the financial news service Google also offers. The music page will bundle an image, song previews, artwork and news from a musician or band. It is planned that the music service starts next week.
Google says that the revenue they receive from this service will be split between the record labels and music services. The four major record labels involved include EMI Group Ltd., Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group Corp., and Sony Corp.’s Sony Music Entertainment. Each of them have licensed their catalogs to be used in this initiative. Reports state, however, that Google doesn’t view the system as a direct revenue source, but as a way to keep their users.
Meanwhile, Facebook has announced that they will join the battle as well, offering a music service of their own. This declaration came only hours after Google’s emerged, except their’s will be a little different. The social networking site will be trying to cash in on the service directly, by selling songs as gifts for users to send to their friends. This will be done via LaLa.com, and the streaming songs, which will cost 10 cents, will be ready for download and to be put on iPods.