Rumor: Licensing is holding up cloud-based iTunes
Rumor: Licensing is holding up cloud-based iTunes
According to tips sent in to Electronista, the reason that Apple’s planned iTunes streaming service yet to be released is due to the fact that the Cupertino-based company has yet to finalize licensing deals with major record labels. Apple currently has licensing deals which allow customers to stream music from their own computers to their devices, but streaming music directly from Apple’s servers — one of the features we mentioned in our exclusive on the service — would require a new deal be inked. Although Apple would like to get the deal finalized as soon as possible, allegations that many record label executives have not have the service detailed to them indicates we may still have a ways to go. More →
Circulating reports suggest that Apple has purchased online streaming music company Lala. Lala offers a service that allows users to stream music from Lala’s massive online music catalog without any advertisements. It also provides users free streaming of a track once, with unlimited streams costing a mere 10 cents per track. Users can easily build up an online catalog of music that they can access anytime, anywhere they have access to a web browser. Think of Lala as an iTunes in the cloud, which most likely is the reason Apple bought the startup, but whether we’re looking at an actual new service coming or Apple’s interest in music licenses remains to be seen. 
