PALO ALTO, CA (Hypebot) – Mobile entertainment provider mSpot is debuting a free service to today at the Google I/O Conference that provides cloud based access to an individual's music collection synced across smartphones and PC's. Users upload music into the mSpot Cloud for playback. Only Android mobile devices are supported at today's private beta launch, but the company says that more platforms will be added soon. Public launch is scheduled for mid-June.
From lawsuits with Michael Robertson's Mp3tunes.com to recent reported talks with iTunes, the major labels have resisted efforts to bring music to the cloud claiming it constitutes an additional use of purchased music and demanding extra payment. An mSpot spokesperson told Hypebot this morning that the company believes they "are covered within the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) in part because "the service only lets you upload music from one device, but lets you access it from five."
mSpot already has working relationships with the major labels through its other mobile music offerings, and it's hard to imagine them risking lawsuits without at least the majors’ tacit approval. If so, today's announcement heralds a softening of the major's position and leads further credence to rumors that Apple may launch it's own music in the cloud service on June 7th.
The new mSpot service includes a smart application that operates in the background of your computer managing the upload and automatic syncing of your music library across all devices. In addition, it can upload playlists, cover-art, ratings and song information entered using iTunes or Windows Media Player.
“We recognize that portability is key to a compelling music experience for consumers, and the biggest challenge for music cloud services to tackle today. mSpot has spent the past five years perfecting its proprietary over-the-air delivery technology so music plays from the cloud so fast it feels local – even when cell coverage is spotty or non-existent,” said mmSpot CEO Daren Tsui.
