Google has signed licensing deals with Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment to launch a subscription-based music service to take on Spotify.
The move will add separate music subscription services to the search engine’s mobile-focused Google Play store and to its YouTube video sharing platform, which it may charge $10 per month for.
Google’s deal with Sony Music and Universal follows earlier reports of the search engine firm signing a subscription deal with Warner Music Group.
Planned to be introduced at the ongoing I/O, the subscription feature will be linked to Play, Google’s online media hub, complementing the download store and locker feature, which enable users to store their digital entertainment collections in the cloud.
Additionally, Apple has been negotiating with music labels regarding incorporation of subscription service option onto iTunes.
On May 9, 2013, Google rolled out the trial version of YouTube’s paid subscription service as part of its long-anticipated move to integrate pay channels to support professional content.
The subscription service will be offered in 10 countries and YouTube has released a list of about 50 channels.
