Apple is preparing to launch a revamped version of its cloud-based content storage service, MobileMe, featuring what's been called a "locker" for music.
The service will launch in April and will cost $20 a year, according to The Music Void, which cited "informed sources."
Apple has secured a deal with Warner Music Group for digital licenses and is using that deal to leverage agreements with other major music labels in time for the projected April launch, the site said. While deals with Universal and EMI should be cemented fairly easy, the Music Void says Sony might hold out on Apple a bit.
Rumors about a revamped MobileMe service have been trickling in for the past few months. However, it was previously reported that the service would be free. MobileMe has been available for a $99 annual fee, but that option has reportedly been discontinued. A 60-day free trial with the option to sign up for the paid service at its conclusion is available on the MobileMe page at Apple's Web site. However, the option to sign up for the year-long paid service without first test-driving it for 60 days is not advertised.
In many of the recent MobileMe reports, the overhauled platform has been referred to as a "locker." Last month it was reported that in addition to unveiling smaller, cheaper iPhones, Apple would ditch the $99 yearly subscription model in favor of a free service that would work like a "locker" for personal content like photos, videos, and music.
There has been no official announcement from Apple, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier today, Apple announced that its annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) will be held from June 6-10 in San Francisco, where it will focus on the next iterations of iOS and Mac OS X.
The cloud-based storage game, meanwhile, could be heating up. It's been rumored that both Amazon and Google are also prepping their own music "lockers."