2010 June, 23rd

Alina Popescu

Word on the Internet is that Google is planning and plotting to get their hands on some of the music business that’s happening on the great www as news about their imminent launch of an online music downloading service have been reported by MSNBC and the Wall Street Journal. This bold move would once again turn them into Apple’s direct competitor, as they would challenge the popular iTunes site.

While Google’s plans are still vague and the launch, if it happens, is still months away, company representatives have started talking about the possibility of offering such a service online and over the Android operating system, which would grant them access to the mobile phone market. The move would mean stepping up in the game they currently play with Apple, the two companies already competing in the mobile ads and smart phone operating systems fields.

Some say Google’s move comes as a revenge of sorts after Apple decided to block their AdMob service on iPhone’s iOS. After changing the terms applying to developers, Apple decided to restrict the user data that can be accessed by third party application, which would mean their own ad service, iAd, will have the upper hand on the iOS advertising market.

While the revenge scenario might make sense at first, the truth is Google’s own Android favors them as mobile ad services provider. As they protect their phone OS, why shouldn’t competitors do the same? And given the mobile market is hardly made up of iPhone users only, they have nothing to worry about. Other than not being the single major player on the market, that is! Then again, without iAd, Google would have still been waiting for and FTC approval on buying the mobile ad network that’s now banned by Apple. Win some, lose some, but I dare say the winnings are much more important in this case. Besides, the AdMob blog has just announced they are going to attend this Thursday’s Silicon Valley iPad Business Meetup!

Judging by how Google has shown us they operate in the past, I’d say they just feel there’s a lot of money to be made in the online music business and they want a part of the action. Their overall strategy usually involves better researched moves and a lot more finesse than acting on a whim and slapping Apple’s face to get their revenge. While the aren’t the perfect business making machine, as all companies still make their fair share of mistakes, they are pretty good at staying profitable, growing stronger and launching enough cool products and services to keep us all tangled in the complicated love, or should I say love-hate, relationship we have with them.

• 2010/08/04 -- Motorola and Verizon Tag-Team the iPad
• 2010/07/27 -- Yahoo! Vital Signs, Google to Be Japan’s Pulse
• 2010/07/23 -- Windows Phone 7 is Close, Launch Partners Announced
• 2010/05/26 -- Is Apple Moving Too Slow for Consumers?
• 2010/03/02 -- Full-Power PR War – Apple sues HTC Over Phone Patents
• 2009/11/15 -- Google’s Coming PR War Over Perception
• 2009/08/03 -- Benefits and Challenges of Banner Advertising

About the Author

Alina Popescu, PR consultant & Founder of Mirror Communications, Marketing and Public Relations Agency has been working in the Marketing and PR field for over 6 years and has been running her own agency for almost two years now. She is a Romanian native, and a close friend of Pamil Visions. You can contact Alina at apopescu [at] pamil-visions [dot] net or follow her on Twitter

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