The Google Music beta has been available to our friends in the US and now Google Music is live, but again only in the US for now. While we hope for a Google Music UK launch in the not too distant future, here's what you can expect from the iTunes rival.
As the invites sent out quite clearly suggested and in an annoncement that has been expected for months, Google has officially taken the wraps of its Android-based music service hoping to give iTunes a run for its money. We've already run the rule over Google Music Beta, but those in the US (for now) can begin to finally get to grips with the full package. Many of the features revealed in the beta still remain but Google saved a few more surprises for the official unveiling.To find out how Google Music works and what you can expect when it makes it over to Blighty, read on for our quick guide to Google Music.
Google Music: Up in the cloud
Embracing the world of cloud-based storage, Google Music users will be able to store and stream 20,000 songs from their own collection or bought in the Android Market, from Google's cloud servers. Music can then be streamed from your smartphone, desktop and even your Android tablet.
Google Music: Music Manager
This desktop application is essentially your hub where you can both upload and download music from your own collection even if it's spread across several computers keeping any ratings, descriptions that you've added to them since.
Google Music Android app
The service will of course be available for Android smartphones where amongst other features you'll be able to make content available offline which will applyyour choices to all devices running Google Music. To use Google Music on your Android device, you'll need to be on Android 2.2 and have the latest version of Android Market. There is of course the small matter of integration with Android Market which we will move onto next.
Google Music: Android Market music store
With a slick new design and the recent addition of movie rentals, the Android Market will now enable users to buy millions of albums and individual tracks with EMI, Sony and Universal on board to cover mainstream artists, and a host of independent labels that collectively works out to over 1,000 record labels according to Google. You'll be able to preview tracks for 90 seconds, get a free song of the day like Amazon, while all tracks will boast 320kpbs sound quality.
Google Music: Share on Google+
Remember Google+? You know that social networking service you fought to get invited to? Well Google Music will be popping up in your friend streams as well with the ability to share music that you've purchased with fellow Google+ users who can get a full free play of a track or an entire album that you've bought.
Google Music Artists hub
If the X-Factor route doesn't take your fancy, the Artist hub is a new way to get your unique sound noticed. Working similiar to the way developers sell apps on the Android Market, musicians (with necessary rights) can set up pages, dicate how much their music will cost and decide whether users can have 90 second previews, full previews or unlimited previews of their music. 70% of the revenue generated will be kept by the artist and Google also revealed that it is looking to allow artists to sell music alongside YouTube content like music videos for instance.
Google Music Exclusive content
One of the ways Google is trying to entice people to use the service is by offering content than can only be found on Google Music. To start the ball rolling, this includes exclusive live concerts from the Rolling Stones, Busta Rhymes debuting his new studio album on Google Music, plus free live albums from Coldplay, Shakira, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band.
Google Music price
The fear was that despite offering Google Music beta for free, a pricing scheme would be introduced on its official arrival. The good news is that the service will continue to be free and that it is no longer limited to those who managed to test it out first time around.
Google Music UK release date
So as we mentioned earlier, there were no details on a UK launch although the spokesperson for Universal present at the announcement did mention that he was excited for the global rollout of Google Music across all Android devices, so at least we know it's on the way. As for an official date? We hope to find out more in the coming months and hope it's sooner rather than later. Interestingly, T-Mobile USA is partenering with Google Music and will have the service running on HTC and Samsung smartphones with the ability to buy music through your phone bill just like you'd buy an app on the Android Market. So there is always the distinct possiblity a similiar deal could be struck with T-Mobile in the UK.
Google Music video
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