Hot on HuffPost Tech:

See More Stories
AOL Tech

Google to Launch Search-Powered Music Store by Fall

Google Music Store
Last week, some little anonymous birdies told CNET News that Google was planning to launch a music download service and iTunes competitor by this fall. Now, The Wall Street Journal reports, according to "people familiar with" the situation, that Google has been talking with music industry insiders about launching a search-powered music download store by the end of the year, with a cloud-based, subscription service coming later in 2011.

Under the system, when a band or song title is searched, Google would offer up a link to purchase or stream the album or song directly from its music store. Next year, Google would integrate the service with Android phones, letting users access their digital music library from the cloud rather than storing it on a mobile device. Obviously, Apple wouldn't be happy about either, especially since many believe the company purchased streaming music service Lala so that it could launch a cloud-based version of iTunes. Record labels, on the other hand, won't mind a little competition in a market where Apple accounted for 28-percent of all music purchased in the first quarter of this year. [From: CNET News and The Wall Street Journal, via: Engadget]

Tags: android, Apple, cloud, download, google, iTunes, lala, music, streaming music, StreamingMusic, top

Coming soon

Thomas Houston

Editor in Chief

Amar Toor

Writer

Matthew Zuras

Design Editor

Leila Brillson

Features Editor

Terrence OBrien

Senior Blogger

Chad Mumm

Vid Guy

Meet the Team »

Get your Switched fix on the go with our free iPhone and iPod Touch app!

Tim Stevens

What I wouldn't give for a proper World of Goo sequel.

Chad Mumm

Reminds me of high school except these people are gauranteed to be cooler than me. http://t.co/3vVaSlz0

Chad Mumm

On The Verge episode 003… coming very soon.