Apple (AAPL) has signed a cloud-streaming music deal with EMI according to this morning’s Boy Genius Report, and is currently working on similar agreements with Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group. In addition, BGR added that there have been reports stating that last month, Apple put pen to paper on a cloud service agreement with Warner Music Group. Despite the fact that Apple is bringing up the rear in cloud based services, they are (seemingly) doing it right. If they keep signing at this pace, they will have all these deals in place for an announcement at WWDC 2011.
In addition to actually having solid deals with the record labels, Apple’s cloud will have a library scanning function. According to Mashable, you will not need to upload your music to the cloud. The cloud will merely need to scan your library and you will have access to the master track on the cloud.
We’ve been waiting a long time to have cloud functionality like this. It will be interesting to see how they integrate the other functions of iTunes into the cloud-based service. The possibility for OTA downloads and updates is virtually limitless.
