MUMBAI: The search engine giant, Google Inc, is in talks with music labels to start a music-download store and a digital song locker, which allows mobile phone users to listen to songs wherever they go, media reports
Google’s plan is considered as move to battle against its rival Apple’s iTunes 10 with social networking feature Ping.
Apple started the sales of digital music in 2003 through the launch of iTunes and still it continues the monopoly in music industry. Apple dominates more than 70 percent of all US digital music sales.
Market analysts expressed that Google can shine in the music industry using the large data, from YouTube and its search, that can inform on what people are consuming and looking for music wise.
Google is finding a warm welcome at record companies that are hoping the technology company can loosen Apple Inc.’s grip on the digital music market.
The talks center on securing a sweeping set of licenses that would give Google the latitude to offer an array of products and services through its Android operating system for mobile phones as well as through computer browsers.
Andy Rubin, the brains behind Google’s Android mobile operating system is busy deciding on how Google music service would look like.
The service may launch by Dec 2010.