Google"s a big player in the realm of the Internet; it runs the biggest search engine on the planet, as well as being an email provider and even a developer of a mobile operating system. Now, the company is rumored to be launching a music service, perhaps very soon.
The hints have come from TechCrunch, who, according to information from their sources, believe that the new service will be named Google Audio. It will be partnered with the usual line-up of major record labels, and will obviously be intended to go head to head with the current big players in the industry, such as Amazon and Apple"s iTunes. TechCrunch is also quick to point out that the service will differ greatly from the one that Google previously offered in China, which allowed free searching and downloading of music (though it was only available in China, of course).
The service will be available "at least in the U.S.," but it"s apparently unclear whether it"ll be a streaming-based service or if it will allow downloads of songs. We"ll be sure to follow information as it comes in, as this"ll be fairly major news for those who regularly buy songs.