This week, Apple announced its iSync service, where a user can sync their (Apple-only) music to the cloud for $25 a year. A few weeks ago (in the span of about 60 days at the time of this post), both Amazon.com and Google announced a cloud music service. For the uninitiated, a cloud music service at its core permits you, then end-user, to load up a music library to an online storage area/server, permitting the playback and consumption of that music wherever a data connection is present. In theory, your music library is truly portable. This idea has been bandied about for at least four years. In fact, I remember talking about it in my graduate studies. Lala (remember when Apple bought them and quickly hung up the ‘closed for business’ sign?) did this.
If you’re an end-consumer who likes music and generally has a finger on the pulse of technology, you (like me) are asking yourself the following…
- Is it odd that no one implemented this idea for four years or so?
- Is it odd that within 60-ish days, three of the major tech players in the world released offerings that were similar?
This leads to a few more questions…
- Was it pure coincidence that they all released within 60 (plus or minus) days?
- Or did they each have an idea, and were waiting to see who pulled the trigger first?
Who wins here? First mover? Or last mover, picking up the pieces and fixing what’s broken from those who trail-blazed? As an end-user, are you happy that there are now multiple options? Or do you feel slightly hoodwinked?
Links:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-20068773-37/jobs-announces-apples-icloud-storage-service/
http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/28/amazon-cloud-music/
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/technology&id=8123185
http://www.holditdifferently.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_mover_advantage
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