Google to add streaming music service to Android

SAN FRANCISCO--Google today announced plans to offer a streaming music service to Android phones in what appears to be an attempt by the company to counter Apple's dominance of the digital music space with its iTunes product.

In demonstrating the service, Google's Vic Gundotra, vice president of engineering, did not say when the service would be available, but noted, "We think users are going to love this feature."

In a demonstration here at the Google I/O conference, Gundotra said the streaming music service will be part of an overhaul of Google's Android Market. He said the company will make the entirety of Android Market available on the Web to desktop PCs (information and details on applications in the Android Market are currently only available on Android handsets). Gundotra demonstrated how, with the upgrade to Android Market, users will be able to wirelessly download music tracks to their phone with the press of a button. Further, Gundotra said the service will be able to search users' desktop computers for DRM-free music, and then make that music available to an Android phone via a wireless, streaming connection.

Gundotra did not provide details on the service, including when exactly it will be available. He also did not explain the extent to which Google will sell music via the Android Market. Most Android users currenntly can wirelessly purchase and download music tracks through Amazon.com.

Gundotra said the streaming technology stems from Google's acquisition of streaming media firm Simplify Media. Though that acquisition had not been disclosed until now, Simplify Media appeared to hint at the news in a March post on its site detailing a "new direction" and its removal of its iPhone apps from the Apple App Store. According to Simplify Media's site, the company "connects people directly with their content, without the hassles of synching or uploading all their files. Simplify users can also share their personal media with family and close friends in a private, secure group."

The news that Google will upgrade the native music application on Android to support streaming music likely is a competitive reaction to iTunes, which Apple uses to entice users to buy its hardware. But Apple appears poised to add a streaming, Web-based component to iTunes as well, based on its recent acquisition of Lala. Before Apple shut down Lala, the company offered users the ability to purchase music tracks for 10 cents each, and then stream them to any computer via the Internet. iTunes currently requires users to download the iTunes program and attach their device to a desktop computer to transfer and play music.

Other streaming music services are available from Spotify, MOG and others.

News of Google's streaming music service came amid its unveiling of its new Android 2.2 operating system. Click here for details.

For more:
- see this Google release
- see this TechCrunch article

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