Apple’s plans to bring music streaming to the upcoming iCloud service are coming together swiftly this week as the company signs up a third major record label.
Bloomberg reports that negotiations between Apple & Sony Music Entertainment have now been wrapped up, with the two companies agreeing on a licensing deal that could eventually see Sony’s music streamed to our iPhones from the cloud when the iCloud service launches.
Now that deals with Warner, EMI and Sony are in place, Universal Music Group – the largest of the four major labels – is the only one yet to strike a deal with Apple. However, one report earlier this week revealed that the two companies are “very close” to finalizing an agreement.
With these deals in place, Apple’s iCloud launch looks set to sabotage rival services from Amazon and Google which are currently unlicensed. Bloomberg says:
Unlike competing products, Apple’s cloud music service won’t require users to upload online collections, two people said. Record labels are counting on cloud services to reignite sales of digital tracks, which have stagnated in recent years.
iCloud’s unveiling is expected to happen at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 6th, and as the event approaches it seems Apple is swiftly applying the final touches to the service.
[via 9to5 Mac]
