Andre Yoskowitz
1 Feb 2011 17:13
According to Cnet, Google's Google Music platform is nearing a debut, although there are still hurdles.
Google is still negotiating "complex licensing agreements" which should require a few months, says the site, but this is the closest the platform has ever been to debuting.
It appears that each of the Big 4 labels has a varying mindset on how a cloud music service should be run, and finding a happy medium is harder than Google ever thought.
The search giant had hoped to launch the service by last November.
Apple's iTunes remains the clear market leader for digital music, accounting for over 70 percent of all worldwide sales. A streaming, subscription service by Google (which might also include download options), however, could make a dent, given Google's strength in many markets.
Google could bake the service into Android (most popular smartphone OS), and connect it to YouTube, which is one of the most trafficked services in the world.