Warner Music and Google are doing big things in 2013. According to Billboard, Warner Music Group has struck a deal with Google to stream its music across YouTube and its Google Play platform.
Google will be jumping into a fiercely fought market for on-demand music streaming. Spotify, Rhapsody, Muve Music, Slacker, Samsung Music Hub, Sony Music Unlimited and Rdio are among the current players slugging it out for dominance. And later this summer, Beats Electronics will re-launch a revamped MOG service, branded as Beats Music.
The revenue from music services would be relatively small for Google, raising the question of why the search giant should even bother.
But a music service would round out the native offerings on Google’s platforms, including Android, Google TV and new streaming media devices that it’s exploring, especially since rivals Microsoft, Sony and Amazon.com have streaming services of their own. It may also be part of Google’s reported plans to build a shopping/media service similar to Amazon Prime.
Having a music service available may even complement the company’s effort to develop digital eyewear.
A music service could also nudge more users of Google devices and free services to register with not just their identities, but also their credit cards, making it easier for Google to directly monetize and upsell users with additional products and services.– Seattle Times
If Google goes all in, they could give, online streaming service, Spotify a run for its money. In case you didn't believe Google was angling for world domination, believe it now.
