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Apple's cloud music service could address buffering with local files
A patent has emerged that shows how Apple could address the buffering lag time that is a frequent bane to streaming media users. In the patent, Apple describes storing just small segments of media files locally on a user's device. These segments would be the beginning of a song, for example, and would begin to play immediately while the device buffers the rest of the song from the cloud servers. Using this method, there would be no lag time between when a user taps on a song to play it on his iPhone and when the song actually begins to play. Current cloud services often feature a noticeable lag time between when a user selects a song and when it begins to play, since the entire file is stored remotely. This patent is important given the rumor that Apple is soon to launch a cloud-based digital music service. If Apple implements this local file snippet feature into its service, it would be a significant advantage to the usability and quality of its service over rivals like Amazon and Google.
EMI joins Warner Music Group in Apple cloud music service
Sources have told CNET that EMI has signed a deal with Apple to license its music for cloud-based services. EMI joins Warner Music Group, which signed on with Apple for cloud-based music services last month. The remaining two major labels, Sony and Universal, are expected to sign similar deals with Apple as early as next week. Getting all four major music labels to sign on to a cloud-based service is seen as a serious win and another vote of confidence for Apple's rumored cloud-based digital distribution services. Amazon and Google both launched cloud-based digital lockers earlier this month, yet neither of those companies have any agreements with the four major music labels. Cloud-based services are rumored to be a big part of iOS 5, and late last month it was revealed that Apple's digital locker services might be called iCloud after Apple bought the icloud.com domain from a Swedish company.
Apple gets cozy with EMI, Universal, and Sony over cloud music licensing (updated)
Ah, so it's all coming together now. Following a report on Warner Music inking a cloud streaming deal with Apple, CNET is back with fresh information that sees three more major record companies jumping on board. Citing "multiple music industry sources," we're told that EMI is the latest addition to Apple's cloud music portfolio, while Universal and Sony are close to sealing the deal to permit this rumored iCloud service. If true, such endorsement will no doubt add pressure on Google and Amazon over their cheeky, license-free cloud streaming offerings -- not a bad way to fend off competition, though it's not clear how much money's involved. Guess we'll know more at WWDC next month. Update: Bloomberg is citing multiple source who claim that Sony has inked a deal with Apple leaving only Universal to play coy. Two sources claim that Apple's cloud music service won't require users to upload their music.
Apple setting up another data center in Silicon Valley
We haven't even officially been told what's up with the data center in North Carolina, but apparently Apple wants more -- the company is also setting up another new data center much closer to home in Silicon Valley. The 11,000 square-foot setup is smaller than the big complex in North Carolina, which is said to be over 500,000 square feet (with about a fifth of that as actual server space). But the Silicon Valley center will still be pulling its own load when the 2.2 megawatts of critical power load comes online in September of this year. Apple is leasing the space wholesale from a company called DuPont Fabros, and it's not a stretch to think that if Apple needs more data center capacity very soon, DuPont Fabros will be more than happy to provide it. This one is located in Santa Clara, CA, and here's an interesting tidbit: There are a lot of data centers in that neck of the woods because the local power provider, Silicon Valley Power, offers relatively cheaper rates than Pacific Gas and Electric Company nearby. Hopefully we'll hear what all of this data center space is for soon -- WWDC is just around the corner.
Streaming music breakdown: how Google Music and iCloud will impact today's options
Gone are the days of going to the music store, finding a vintage CD or cassette tape, happily unwrapping it and thoroughly perusing the cover art as you listen to your new album for the very first time. In a want-it-now world, that simply takes too long -- and we have the internet to thank for the change in pace. As preferences seem to shift in the music consumption universe, it feels as if tastes are centered around consuming the largest amount of music possible. And thanks to the sudden proliferation of online streaming services, satisfying those desires in record time has become a reality. Unsurprisingly, competition is mighty fierce -- consumers have options for user-made radio stations, on-demand streaming content, and cloud-based multimedia. But if you've been hearing the word on the street, Apple and Google could soon make their way onto the scene by offering streaming music options of their own. Almost everything these two tech giants touch turns to gold (emphasis on almost -- we don't think Ping and Buzz built the best reputations), so there's reason to believe that these oft-rumored services will become automatic front-runners the day they're released. Head on past the break to see some of the lucky / unlucky contestants planning to give Google and Apple a run for their (near-limitless) money, replete with a breakdown of what they offer and how hard they hit the wallet.
Rumor: Evidence for a Castle in the 'iCloud' for Lion
French blog Consomac sent us a heads-up that they've done a bit of digging in the current developer preview, searching for further evidence of the suggested Find My Mac feature in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion and the fabled iCloud domain name. What they found was fascinating. In searching through Lion's strings for references to Find My Mac, iCloud or MobileMe, they came up with the localized strings seen in the image: "Complete your Castle upgrade," and "Click OK to open System Preferences and complete your upgrade from MobileMe to Castle." Now, as much as we'd love to see Apple's email, calendar and cloud storage offering converted into an ABC romcedural starring the delightfully geeky Nathan Fillion, that might not go over so well with everyone. As Consomac's post suggests, the likeliest explanation for this string set is that 'Castle' is a code name for the next-generation online service offering from Apple. Said online service, naturally, is what we suspect the iCloud domain will be used for in the next OS version -- and chances are we'll see it in action at WWDC. Thanks to Sylvain for the tip.
Second source suggests Apple purchased icloud domain
Earlier this week, we reported on a circulating rumor that suggested Apple bought the icloud.com domain name. Today, All Things Digital added to that rumor with a report of its own. According to AllThingsD, "sources in position to know" have confirmed to them that Apple did buy the icloud.com domain name from Xcerion, a cloud computing company based in Sweden. The original rumor suggested Apple paid up to $4.5 million for the domain name, but AllThingsD was unable to corroborate that figure with its source. Presumably, Apple will use this domain name for the rumored iTunes in the cloud and digital locker service it is supposedly gearing up to launch. Would you be excited to use your iCloud account to sync your iPhoto and iTunes content with your iPad while you're on the iGo?
Apple's cloud streaming service to be called iCloud?
Okay, so if you had to guess a name for an Apple service that exists in the cloud it's pretty safe to say you'd pick "iCloud," right? Good, now that we're past the obvious, there are some slightly more compelling indicators out there that this may indeed be what Apple is going to call its (presumably) soon-to-launch music streaming service. We received anonymous tips about this name in the past, and now Om Malik is reporting some interesting history, that the domain iCloud.com is owned by a company called Xcerion, which recently re-branded its cloud-based storage service from iCloud to CloudMe. TechCrunch reached out to the company and got a beautifully-worded non-denial talking about how the new name better embraces the company's cross-platform approach. That it does, but the timing is interesting. Obviously nothing is confirmed, but with Warner and at least one other of the big four record labels signed on, we'd guess the real name for this service should be drifting into view any time now. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Rumor: Apple might have bought iCloud.com
GigaOm is reporting that Sweden-based cloud storage company Xcerion has just sold its iCloud.com domain name for US$4.5 million and that the likely buyer is none other than Apple. Xcerion had previously sold a cloud-based storage service called iCloud, but it's been rebranded as CloudMe after the sale of the iCloud.com domain. While GigaOm doesn't get into specifics, the site says its source is familiar with the company and that the buyer of the domain name is Apple. Currently, the WhoIs information still lists Xcerion as the owner of iCloud.com, but that could be a deliberate move until Apple reveals its new cloud-based services. Even though GigaOm doesn't name its source, it does fit in with other reports that Apple is gearing up to launch a digital locker soon. Apple does have a penchant of throwing an "i" in front of everything. If GigaOm's sources are correct, get ready to say goodbye to iDisk and hello to Apple's iCloud.
Reuters: Apple set to launch cloud-based music service ahead of Google (update)
It's the rumor that wouldn't die, and Reuters is now reporting that Apple is finally set to launch a cloud-based music service -- presumably putting its massive North Carolina data center to some real work at long last. Details are still fairly light beyond that, but Reuters says that Apple's service will actually launch ahead of Google's similar cloud-based option, which it reports is now "stalled," citing "several people familiar with both companies plans." According to Reuters, the service will let folks store their music (and only music, apparently) on Apple's servers and then access it on any device with an internet connection -- and a copy of iTunes, we presume. Update: Peter Kafka, over at All Things Digital, backs up Reuters' claim with some additional detail. Unlike Amazon's approach with Cloud Player, Apple is actively seeking to license the music for its streaming service before launching. According to Kafka's sources, Apple has already secured deals with two of the big four labels and plans to launch "pretty soon." The deal would allow Apple to store a single master copy of a track on its servers and then share that track with multiple users. As Kafka describes the service, "The idea is that Apple will let users store songs they've purchased from its iTunes store, as well as others songs stored on their hard drives, and listen to them on multiple devices."
