Amazon introduces music streaming in the cloud

Amazon.com has launched a new music streaming service that allows users to store their music in a cloud-based account. This means that users have their own virtual safe on the Internet, the so-called "cloud drive". The files are no longer stored in the memory of many different devices such as laptops, phones or tablets.

Anyone with an Amazon profile can now upload five gigabytes of (music) files via this new service. Pictures and any other filetypes can be stored on the cloud drive as well. This data will then be available from any computer and any device with an Internet connection. Using the Amazon Cloud Player, users can play their music via cloud streaming anywhere they want. Currently, the Amazon Cloud Player is not yet available on all smartphones. For now, there is only one application for Android phones and the service is initially only available in the United States.

According to telecom experts, Apple has spent quite some time developing a streaming music service, linked to iTunes. Unfortunately fort hem, Amazon finished first. Reportedly some record companies did not cooperate with Apple’s service to date. For a music service to be successful, (licensing) agreements to deal with music copyrights are indispensable. Google is also said to develop its own music service for Android devices. This anticipated Google Music service better be good, as Amazon is now on a headstart.

Amazon Cloud Player is available for free, but the five gigabytes of storage space can be enlarged by paying a small fee. Of course, new music bought in the Amazon MP3 store can be transferred to the cloud as well. When a complete digital album is purchased, Amazon adds 15GB of extra drive space to the customers account. This additional space will be free the first year. Maintaining the 20GB cloud drive after the initial year will cost about $20, according to Amazons website. In a video, Amazon explains how Amazon Cloud Player should be used.

Source: Amazon