Google Opens Wider Streaming Market

Google has entered the music streaming sector with search engine giant announcing its Google Play Music All Access platform, which is likely introduce the streaming model to a whole new audience.

As was predicted yesterday, the service was launched at Google's annual developer conference I/O yesterday, American time. Initially available in the US alone, the service is an 'on demand' model that will place it in direct competition with the likes of Spotify, Rdio and Deezer and to a lesser extent Pandora and Apple's radio model.

There is a free 30-day-trial before a monthly fee of US$9.99 kicks in. There won't be a free ad-supported model.

Today industry expert and Australian Independent Record Labels Association Manager Nick O'Byrne told theMusic.com.au that he welcomed the announcement.

“I'm receiving this just as positively as I do to all other streaming service… as long as there's equal remuneration to indies as there is for labels.

O'Byrne speculated that Google Play's tie-in with the Android mobile phone operating system, which is developed by Google, may open the streaming market to a wider demographic. According to latest figures, Android currently owns 74.4 percent of the smartphone market worldwide.

“Potentially they have the ability to open up streaming services to a much wider demographic,” he said. “You'd have to do some research on who buys iPhones, but I believe Android has a wider reach… They've a lower entry price line and go right up to premium products.”

Although today's news will create an international ripple, it is unlikely that it will make much of a public impact on the Australian market immediately.

“My suspicion is that they've known its coming for a long time and this announcement is not a surprise for anyone neck-deep in the streaming business… They key will be who takes the step to sink a whole lot of marketing dollars into it. A lot of the services are trying to establish themselves and when someone steps forward to do that we'll see some manoeuvring.”