Google is reportedly prepping an MP3 music store that will connect to its existing, cloud-based music storage service, according to the New York Times.
The search giant is in talks with major labels, and is looking to get the store live in the next few weeks, music execs told the Times.
Google unveiled its music beta service in May, but it was essentially a cloud locker similar to Amazon's Cloud Player offerings. Both companies got some criticism from the labels, who were irked that Google and Amazon did not secure licensing agreements. But Google and Amazon argued that they did not need licenses since they were just offering online storage for music people already owned.
According to the Times, Google has tried to secure licensing deals in the past, but the labels were concerned that Google was not doing its part on piracy. Google unveiled a copyright plan in December 2010 that, among other things, promised to respond to takedown notices within 24 hours and filter piracy-related terms out of its search results. Last month, the company said it had made "considerable progress" on those goals.
One company that does have licensing deals, meanwhile, is Apple, which is getting ready to launch iTunes Match. The service allows users to store their entire music library in the cloud, or iCloud, for on-the-go access to music from any iOS device or computer. A portion of iTunes in the Cloud went live in June during Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), while a developer version of iTunes Match was released in late August; the final version is expected later this month.
The Times speculated that Google might want to launch its own MP3 store before iTunes Match goes live, but it's questionable as to whether the company will be able to finalize label deals by then.
For more, see PCMag's review of Amazon Cloud Player and Cloud Player for Android. Also check out our review of Google Music Beta, Hands On With Apple iCloud and the slideshow below.