Google’s big I/O reveal may be a streaming music service

The big news at Google’s developer conference I/O might be the music streaming service we’ve all been hearing about for the last year. Google reportedly wrapped up the necessary music partnerships to get it off the ground, according to The Verge.

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The new licensing deals include Sony Music Group and Universal Music Group that will enable Google to use their music on YouTube and Google Play. Google also reportedly struck a deal with Warner Music Group earlier in the year. This opens Google to some of the most major players in the music industry — an hurdle any music streaming service has to jump before it can be successful.

The service will likely resemble Spotify, according to The Verge. That is, it will serve up music the user chooses on a subscription basis, as opposed to an online streaming radio model. We are not sure what Google will charge for the service, but the New York Times reports that it will not offer the music free at any level. Spotify, by comparison, costs $10 per month for a premium version.

It will have its own internal competition, however, in YouTube, which many people already use to listen to music throughout the day. A mobile version of the streaming service, of course, would make the product much more alluring.

Apple is also said to be working on its own streaming product that will likely take Pandora’s model over Spotify.

We have reached out to Google and will update this post upon hearing back.

Man laughing with headphones via Shutterstock