“Bear Stearns maintained an ‘outperform’ rating on Google and said the Internet search giant may be looking to expand into the MP3 downloading business,” Peter Kang reports for Forbes. “‘We believe that Google is in the midst of creating its own iTunes competitor, which we’ve dubbed ‘Google Tunes’,’ the analyst wrote in a client note issued today. ‘We think this is a logical step, now that the nascent Google Video product has been introduced.’ Analyst Robert Peck speculated that it makes sense for Google to create a rival for the popular iTunes service by Apple Computer, given the explosive growth of unique visitors to the iTunes’ Web site.”
”We would expect Google to rollout a Beta service within 3 to 6 months. We note that Google has not confirmed our expectations, and that our thinking is based on Mosaic theory,’ said Peck. ‘However, we do think this fits with Google’s recent moves and its ultimate goal of organizing the world’s information,'” Kang reports.
Full article here.
If it’s anything like the joke that is Google Video, Google’s media honeymoon will be over quicker than an unprotected Internet-connected Windows computer can get infected with its first virus. Why would Google want to waste time and energy trying to compete with a bunch of failed also-rans for Apple’s table scraps?
Related articles:
Microsoft aims to beat Apple in race to living room; an opportunity bigger than Windows – January 24, 2006
Apple, Intel, Microsoft plan living room assault in 2006 – December 16, 2005
iPod accessories now surpass $300 million annually as iPod paves Apple’s path into living room – December 12, 2005
RUMOR: Apple to employ Intel’s ‘Robson’ NAND flash tech to create ‘instant-on’ Macs – November 22, 2005
NY Times’ Pogue: Apple’s iMac G5 with sleek, virus-free, spyware-free OS earns place in living room – October 19, 2005
Apple’s shift to Intel really all about Hollywood, owning the living room, and Transitive – June 05, 2005
Apple and Microsoft battle for control of future living rooms – June 01, 2005
Apple Computer will own the living room, not Microsoft – January 10, 2005
Can Apple crack the living-room conundrum before Microsoft? – December 30, 2004
NY Times: Can Steve Jobs put Apple in the center of your living room? – March 22, 2004
Related articles:
Analyst: What battle for control of digital home? Apple has already won – January 27, 2006
Google: ‘We made a big mistake with Google Video’ – January 26, 2006
AP: Google Video Store not ready for prime time, doesn’t compare well to Apple’s iTunes Store – January 21, 2006
Review: ‘Google and CBS release embarrassment of a video store’ – January 12, 2006
Analyst: Google Video Store’s proprietary DRM a sign of Google’s ‘arrogance’ – January 07, 2006
I’ve made a huge mistake
LMAO @ GOB… gotta love Arrested Development.
I couldn’t help but think of that line when the Google people starting talking about how they had made a huge mistake with the Google Video store.
engineers at Google….
“we’ll just throw all songs into one big bin and let everyone find what they want with the Google search bar.”
If it used another propretary codec like the Video store does—one that’s incompatible with iPod and any other player—it will be stillborn. I can’t imagine the guys aty GOOG are that dumb, but…
Video is pretty weak. No portability. Needs to access to the internet at all times. Mrrr…
I wish voice comments had been invented by now. If so, you would hear me laughing… very loudly. Google doesn’t realize that other companies have tried with FAR better user interfaces and business models and totally, completely, and utterly FAILED. The Google Minimalist Metaphor needs to stop at e-mail and searching (i.e. things you aren’t ponying up cash for). If you expect a consumer to buy something, it had better come in pretty wrapping from a store that has more bones than a cardboard shack.
Good metaphor haha.
But google “may” have something they’re working on? Or they “may” not?
Wow, hard to be wrong with such a clever prediction.
Google is tracking my searches !!!
I went to the Google video page http://video.google.com/ and clicked in the search field and pressed the down arrow key. A list appeared of all my searches of the past months.
How are they doing that? Do they couple my searches to my IP number? I don’t have any Google cookies.
How can I prevent this from happening?
Seen Google video yet ?
SJ must be quaking!
“we’ll just throw all songs into one big bin and let everyone find what they want with the Google search bar.”
and what you find are umpteeen free karaoke versions of all the songs that you hated and which were still played to death on the radio.
To determine if it will suceed, you have to ask your self “What is in it for the copyright owners?” (by that I mean the record companies.)
Google is tracking my searches !!!
<B>NO IT IS NOT!!!!!!!!!!!</i>
Safari (or whatever browser you use) is recording your searches. If you want to clear them in Safari, under the Safari menu go to “Reset Safari…”
Google Tunes: “Put a bullet to me. Bullet in the brain pan, squish.”
Google *does* track your searches; if I move from one computer to another, my personalized Google homepage lists my previous searches from the other computers I use.
Duh…
MacMind,
Your browser is doing it…not Google.
“Google *does* track your searches; if I move from one computer to another, my personalized Google homepage lists my previous searches from the other computers I use.
Duh…”
That’s why it’s a PERSONALIZED Google homepage.
Duh…
Thanks qka and little man, Reset Safari solves the problem. The searches are now gone.
River- Good one. I wish they’d just do it.
Why do analyst think Google can do anything?
Analyst: “Google is developing a new hyprid SUV, the Google Searchbar XT, as its debut vehicle into the auto market. Reports indicate that the engine will generate 1001hp at 951 pounds of torque from a DC motor matted to a variable transmission through an automatic dual clutch. Electric power will be generated by a quad turbo inline 4 cylinder and will feature a high density compact fuel cell for storing energy. All this power will propel the SUV to 100MPH in 3 seconds. The Searbar XT will be available for free. Google will recover the cost by displaying ads in the HUD installed on the driver side. Ads will be determined by the location of the vehicle using GPS and searches the driver request using the built in internet searching capabilities. Available Spring 2006.”
It’s posible that Google will have a subscription service that allows you to play music through your browser. Probably at low cost and can be played on anything that has access to the internet. In that way, you don’t store songs on a PC or player, but just stream instead.
Not too sure that it would work. Maybe useful for some people.
Apple to Google Tunes:
“Do you know what your sin is?”
[Removes sword]
Google’s crappy “new” circa 1995 video store is a symptom of what I call the Mafiasoft Syndrome: That is, a company with a particular core competency and lots of cash goes out and tries to compete in other totally new areas without enough strategic planning or proper execution.
Apple is different: they focus on one thing with intensity and flawless execution. The results speak for themselves. BTW, to you youngsters that think Apple “lost the OS wars” because they didn’t advertise or because Macs couldn’t run Word Perfect, that is flat out wrong. That’s not what happened. Apple’s strategy was to maintain high margins at the expense of market share: A niche market strategy. Even today there are still obvious remnants of that strategy. I still remember buying a Mac Ci for $7,000+ when a “similarly” equipped peecee was around half that.
Anyway, Google will continue to flounder if they keep on this Mafiasoft path of dabbling in everything, Jack of all trades, master of none.® So the anals and journalist can dream if they want.
Contrary to most opinions here, I fear Google. They’ve got alot of smart people and oodles of cash. If they build their alternate internet infrastructure, as Cringely has predicted, that’ll be the time for Apple to hitch their bandwagon to them and go for a ride. Why? It makes the idea of HiDef movie streaming much more likely.
Also, the enemy of my enemy is my friend!
Peter Kang reports that “something might could possibly happen in the future if it actually does occur and provided that all the necessary factors converge simultaneously at the unique point owing to the complex balance of positive and negative forces interacting in a way that is inextricably complex”.
Alternatively, in simple English, “ Anything is possible, not everything is probable.”
If Google gets into the digital music download business,
sell your Google stock!!!