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Amazon, Google Looking To Launch Music Services

Google, which was recently rumored to be working on a music service with Napster, and Amazon are in active talks with industry executives about launching iTunes Music Store competitors. One executive told the Financial Times: "I do believe Amazon and Google will do something serious. We have had active communications in the last 60 days."

The same executive said that Amazon was further along in its plans "and could launch a download service as early as the second quarter of this year," according to reporter Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson. Google was in "very serious" discussions late in 2005, that person added, but now the company is moving more slowly. Mr. Edgecliffe-Johnson noted that last week Google said it was not currently planning a music store, and the company has previously denied the Napster rumors.

One analyst told the reporter that he thought an Amazon or Google music service would "certainly shake things up more than [Sony and Microsoft]," who have been unable to dent iTunes' considerable lead in the market. Music industry executives have complained in the past about iTunes' fixed pricing for tracks, preferring to create a sliding scale based on a song's age and current popularity, and they would like a new service to work with devices other than just the iPod.

Thanks to Macworld UK for the link.


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