Skip to main content

Google may debut new music service with Honeycomb

google musicHot on the heels of announcing its Apple publishing competitor One Pass, Google will also go head to head with iTunes with a new music content provider. According to Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha, Google’s new music service may be wrapped into the Honeycomb OS.

“If you look at Google Mobile services [via Android] today, there’s a video service, there’s a music service – that is, there will be a music service,” Jha reported to The Guardian at Mobile World Congress. It’s been awhile since any talk of a Google music streaming service was discussed, although it’s apparently been in development. Yesterday’s One Pass announcement lends further credibility to the idea that Google is clearly ready to challenge Apple’s hold over the content provider-publisher relationship, and iTunes is part of this.

Recommended Videos

Billboard also recently released the names of executives believed to be working on Google Music, which includes the likes of VP of engineering Andy Rubin. According to the report, Rubin has personally been in touch with music industry execs and spoken about the service, which would also offer an online store. A music streaming service has allegedly been in the works at Google for awhile, and would defer from the traditional syncing function in favor of cloud storage. The Motorola Xoom should debut at the end of this month, and anyone willing to pony up the hefty pricetag will find out first hand if Honeycomb includes a Google music application.

From the sounds of it, Google really is preparing to take on Apple’s publishing product on all fronts. But seeing as the proposed Google Music service will be packaged with Honeycomb, the rivalry will only play out in the tablet arena for the time being. Sony and Rhapsody have already expressed their, shall we call it displeasure, with Apple – and the company’s new subscription plan isn’t making it any friends. If there were ever a time to challenge iTunes, now is it.

Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
Google Pixel 6 vs. Apple iPhone 13: Is Google’s new flagship an Apple eater?
iPhone 13 display from the front.

If you're a smartphone lover, Silicon Valley is spoiling you more than a little this year. Not only has Apple recently released the all-around excellent iPhone 13, but Google has just released the Pixel 6, its best phone yet. We dive into how the Pixel 6 vs. iPhone 13 fare against each other in a head-to-head comparison. While Pixels have always been very good Androids, the sixth-generation model finds Google really pushing things to the limit, adding every feature it can to ensure it's capable of competing with the very best flagships. This means it comes with a powerful dual-lens camera array, a big 4,614mAh battery, a speedy Google-made processor, and a gorgeous AMOLED display that supports a 90Hz refresh rate.

Of course, as good as the Pixel 6 is, the iPhone 13 is certainly no slouch. Building on the already impressive specs of the iPhone 12, it adds a longer-life battery, improved camera sensors, the new A15 Bionic chip, and increased internal storage. In other words, it's certainly the best non-Pro (or non-Pro Max) iPhone you can buy today. Does this mean it's better overall than the Pixel 6? Read on to find out.
Specs

Read more
Google’s Pixel 6 features new Pixel Pass subscription service to rival Apple One
Google Pixel 6 Image Composite.

Google is reportedly working on Pixel Pass, a subscription service for the most ardent Google superfans, according to tech YouTuber, Brandon Lee. From the description of the purported Pixel Pass, this is a financing option where Google offers users a fixed price to pay for a Pixel phone and a bundle of Google services all at once.

The concept recalls both Apple One and Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program, a service where Apple enthusiasts can purchase a bundle of all Apple services, from Apple News+ and Apple TV to Apple Music. This would do the same type of thing, bundling in YouTube Premium, Google One, Play Pass, Google Fi, and a Pixel phone to boot. There's also an extended warranty option with Preferred Care or Device Protection for those who want peace of mind. It's likely to be a U.S. exclusive, especially with the inclusion of a Fi subscription, but that's not been definitively confirmed.

Read more
Apple and Google are going to need to open up their app stores in South Korea
The Apple logo is displayed at the Apple Store June 17, 2015 on Fifth Avenue in New York City

Apple and Google will now be mandated to allow for alternate payment systems for apps in the App Store and Play Store, respectively, at least in South Korea. The move comes as part of an amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act that bars companies from forcing third-party developers to use their in-app payment systems for in-app purchases. It will also require app store operators to speedily approve apps and prevent them from deleting apps from the stores without a reasonable explanation, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Apple and Google's app store practices have come under scrutiny over the past few years. In addition to rules around what content may or may not be admitted, developers have increasingly expressed ire about the standardized 30% commission required for each in-app transaction. This comes as a result of both companies mandating the use of their respective billing systems, with exceptions being made to select types of apps (food delivery services, for example.)

Read more