13 million songs ready to go
Google is bolstering Android Market with a new content delivery system that will directly take on Apple’s iTunes store.
Users will be able to store 20,000 songs on their Google Music accounts which should be more than enough for any audio freak. Google has entered partnerships with more than a thousand record labels and claims it will offer 13 million songs for sale or free download.
In addition, Google will lend a helping hand to up-and-coming musicians by allowing them to create their own pages, featuring videos and self-published music. The service will cost $25 and Google will let the artists retain 70 percent of the revenue, which is about 65 percent more than most managers.
The launch coincides with the introduction of Ice Cream Sandwich phones, but some analysts don’t expect Google to make a killing in the content download market, which is already fiercely contested by several players.