“In January we pointed to a possible HP music cloud service that could debut with their future TouchPad tablet due to their 3par acquisition,” Jack Purcher reports for Patently Apple.
“Such a service had the potential of upsetting Apple’s iTunes kingdom,” Purcher reports. “Then word broke in April that Apple was acquiring iCloud followed by news in May that Apple signed a cloud-music licensing agreement with EMI Music and others.”
Purcher reports, “Today, a new Apple patent application dating back to Q4 2009 shows that Apple has been working on a cloud based media service for some time. Apple’s patent details a very unique approach to cloud based services using iTunes which they describe as being ‘seamless and invisible to the user.'”
Much more in the full article, including Apple’s patent application illustrations, here.
Related articles:
Apple’s cloud streaming could feature small, locally-stored song segments – May 19, 2011
Apple inks cloud-music deal with EMI; close to agreements with Universal Music, Sony Music – May 19, 2011
RUMOR: Apple secures iCloud.com – April 28, 2011
Please. PLEASE! Take iDisk out back like ol’ teller and put her down.
Ol’ Yeller! (damn auto correct)
“word broke in April that Apple was acquiring iCloud ”
Acquiring the domain/tradename only. No company purchase.
I use iDisk but it’s dog-ass slow. Sometimes it takes over a minute to load the file directory.
Put it down is right.
Getdropbox.com
Excellent news. Now I don’t have to wait for devices to have enough space for my iTunes library. This will definitely change the entire marketing scheme of things when this arrives. Nice to see that there’s now proof that Apple was working on this way before talk of this ever surfaced from competitors.
“Such a service had the potential of upsetting Apple’s iTunes kingdom”
Hmmmm they’re optimistic
I really don’t get the point of this music in the cloud thing. The only devices that will have 24/7 access to this is an iPhone/iPad 3G. And it will only work with iTunes purchases, there’s no way for apple to verify a cd rip or plain old mp3. Which comprise about 90% of my music collection. And I already carry all my music easily on my 32gb iPhone and iPod. The only possible use would be for a shuffle or iPod mini, and what’s the likelihood of apple putting a 3G radio in those? Not to mention that everyone is now putting caps on mobile data.
I just don’t get it. I don’t see the useability benefit. We already carry our music around, why stream it from the cloud?
@jmd, the patent does explain that it also works with your computer’s iTunes app. So in the house, your 16GB iPad could get access to your total 20GB library for example and ditto for when you’re on the road. Which might mean access via a revamped MobileMe service.
i’m thinking more of an extension of the “home-sharing” feature (over 3G, WiFi, LTE, etc.). Look at the patent. Your device would sync a “partial file” from your media library to verify your media files (no iTunes purchase necessary). Very clever, actually. I’ve been waiting for them to come up with something like this.
@Nathan. Yes, that’s a very good choice of services to compare this cloud service to. Good one.
I use Home Sharing a lot. This is the way I would improve it, if I was Apple (but not just for music).