iCloud icon revealed, LA Times says service will cost $25 annually
In what turned out to be a busy day for the future iCloud service, AppleInsider posted images of banners unveiling the new service's brushed-metal icon at the Moscone Center, while the Los Angeles Times reported that iCloud will likely cost just US$25 a year. The L.A. Times also said Apple has sealed the deal with the last of the four major record labels for its upcoming cloud music service.
We reported Wednesday that parts of iCloud could be offered for free to those who purchase Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, but the $25 subscription fee for hosting music in the cloud might be a service that's separate from the free parts. The interesting thing, however, has to do with the revenue split. The L.A. Times says the agreement has Apple sharing 70 percent of iCloud's revenue with music labels and 12 percent with those who hold the songwriting rights. Apple will pocket the remaining 18 percent, or $4.50 out of every $25 subscription.
The article states that while iCloud will start with hosting music, it will branch out to movies, TV shows and other digital content, which we imagine will be the sort of content currently hosted by MobileMe. This fits with the rumors that iCloud will be superseding MobileMe.
We will have all of our iCloud answers on Monday, when TUAW will be hosting a live blog of Steve Jobs' keynote from WWDC.
