Amazon Launches Web-storage Service for Music

Ahead of both Google and Apple, Amazon has launched a couple of Web-based services that allow users to both store their music (and other data) in the cloud, and listen to it, either on the go or while at home. The first component is called “Cloud Drive“, and is just as it sounds… a service for storage space on the Web. For all users, the first 5GB of storage space is free, and upgrades can be had in increments, with all packages being priced at an effective $1 per GB.

More than just music can be stored using Cloud Drive, and for music purchased through Amazon’s MP3 music store, there’s no hit on the quota. For regular customers of Amazon MP3, this is a huge deal. For those who are not regular customers of Amazon MP3, a move might look tempting. After all, Apple doesn’t offer anything close to a service like this.

To make use of the music that’s stored with Cloud Drive, Amazon also offers Cloud Player; with both a Web version and Android app available (there’s no mention of an iPhone app, and it’s no doubt for obvious reasons). While on the go or at home, you can tap into your music collection and listen at your leisure. Amazon doesn’t charge for bandwidth usage, but normal cell phone net-access rates would apply.

Though the service looks quite tempting, Amazon is taking a rather major risk by launching its service now. Both Apple and Google are rumored to be working on similar products, and there’s a good reason neither of them have launched. You guessed it… it all boils down to the recording industry, and it’s insistence on complaining about virtually anything to do with commercial music.

In order for Amazon to have launched this service safely, it should have acquired whichever licenses are needed. Instead, it took a chance, wanting to be the first out the door. Given its financial status, it’s probably not a bad idea, because if the likes of the RIAA did sue, and Amazon won, it’d set a major precedent. After all, storing music in the cloud is little different than storing the music on a thumb drive or personal MP3 player. It’s still only accessible to you, and no one else. How the recording industry can make a big fuss out of this is anyone’s guess.

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced the launch of Amazon Cloud Drive, Amazon Cloud Player for Web and Amazon Cloud Player for Android. Together, these services enable customers to securely store music in the cloudand play it on any Android phone, Android tablet, Mac or PC, wherever they are. Customers can easily upload their music library to Amazon Cloud Drive and can save any new Amazon MP3 purchases directly to their Amazon Cloud Drive for free.