iClouds Don't Come Cheap

[Phillip Swanson]

Apple has deep pockets. Record labels are trying salvage an outdated business model. The result, Apple pays EMI, Warner, Sony, and Universal between $25-50 million a piece depending on the number of tracks iTunes users are storing of theirs to approve the iCloud.

These payments are just up-front cash advances too. A nice little incentive for the companies to jump on board the iCloud train. According to the NY Post the advance payments have been a major hold up for Google in fully implementing their cloud based music service. Google's current offering is simply a storage locker, and not a true cloud based music solution. It looks like Apple's deep pockets might force Google to buckle to the record labels' demands.

Apple has $50 billion in cash, and that number is expected to swell to $70 billion by the end of the year. A few hundred million really doesn't seem like that much in retrospect.

Tis good to own land.

Source: NY Post

[hbranum]

Wow Apple is going all out on iCloud, let's see what they've got!

[southfrisco]

So Apple bought off the music labels for iCloud. I sure hope Apple announces some big differentiator from the other streaming services outside of mirroring iTunes purchased content.

If all iCloud turns out to be is an add on to MobileMe ($99/yr) + iCloud Video/Music Streaming ($25/yr) I will personally be let down.

In the seven years I've been using iTunes I have purchased maybe 100 songs, 1 TV episode, and rented 1 movie from iTunes. I would just assume go to Amazon and pay nothing and take the time to upload all my (CD ripped) songs if I want to stream them OTA. Then just use Netflix for streaming video.

I will however remain optimistic until an announcement next week.

[EddieLeonard]

i hope icloud replaced mobile me... wel has all mobile me features in it... i would pay yearly for that

[thevmax]

i hope icloud replaced mobile me... wel has all mobile me features in it... i would pay yearly for that

I wouldn't! Currently I have been using ILocalis for tracking of my iphone 4.
Ilocalis can wipe your data, lock your iphone, take picture from front camera, send a message to your iphone. send tracking to you if sim card is changed out.
Cost: $24