Apple May (Finally) Launch Cloud Music Service Soon -- But Who's Excited?

By Ian S. Port Fri., Apr. 22 2011 at 9:10 AM

Categories: Tech

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Apple, the company that already makes 75 to 99 percent of the stuff you use to listen to, organize, and perhaps even make music, is ready to launch its cloud music service ahead of a similar service by Google, according to a report today from Reuters:

Apple's plans will allow iTunes customers to store their songs on a remote server, and then access them from wherever they have an Internet connection, said two of these people who asked not to be named as the talks are still confidential.

Apparently, the Cupertino company is in talks with the four major labels. One source says it has already made deals with two. Apple's approach has been vastly different from Amazon, which launched a cloud service last week without label deals, claiming it didn't need them. (Now it's holding talks with the labels to improve features on its cloud system.)

Still, the question remains for all these companies: Cloud-based music has been long hyped as the next big thing -- but will it actually change how we listen to music?

The main feature of the cloud is that it allows users to upload music to a remote server, then listen to the music anywhere they have an Internet connection.

Is it just us, or does that sound less than amazing? You can already carry 160 gigs of music in your pocket, should you so desire; and even if cloud services are cheaper than the largest iPod, will they provide enough storage to be worthwhile? And will users actually take the time to upload their music to the cloud?

All of this remains to be seen -- with Apple especially, one can never dismiss an idea until seeing its execution. It's still not even clear when the company might actually offer this cloud service to users.

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