RIM working on its own music streaming service for BlackBerry

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Research in Motion is reportedly getting ready to launch its own music streaming service specifically designed for BlackBerry mobile devices.



In an attempt to stay competitive in the mobile business, and considering the clear threat from rival companies such as Apple and Google, RIM is approaching the launch phase of a music streaming service for BlackBerry devices, Reuters claims.



Sources familiar with the matter say that the Canadian company is already ?in late-stage negotiations with the major labels,? which include Universal Music Group, Sony Music, Warner Music Group and EMI Group.



The upcoming BlackBerry music service is estimated to be unveiled in the U.S. by Labor Day, Sept. 5, although RIM has not confirmed that date yet.



This unnamed BlackBerry service it is expected to help RIM enrich its mobile experience, and specifically the popular BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service that was also recently updated to allow developers to include its features in other mobile applications.



BBM has various social features such as instant messaging and file transfer support available to BlackBerry mobile device owners that have an active data plan subscription.



While BlackBerry smartphones do not offer direct music purchase capabilities, they currently have access to various music apps such as Slacker, Rhapsody or Pandora. Meanwhile, RIM?s Playbook tablet comes pre-loaded with 7digital's cloud-based music store, streaming 13 million songs. These mobile devices can however be synced with computers to load music tracks and other files.







RIM?s main competitors, Apple and Google, in addition to Amazon, have already announced plans for offering customers music streaming services, part of their respective cloud initiatives.



Apple a couple of month's ago unveiled plans for iCloud, its cloud computing solution for iOS and OS X devices. When it launches as part of iOS 5.0 this fall, the service will offer features such as ?iTunes in the Cloud," which let users download previously purchased iTunes music to all their iOS devices, and "iTunes Match," which offers to place a 256 kbps AAC DRM-free version of all a user's other existing music files into the cloud for a $25 annual fee.



For its part, Google launched its own Music Beta in May, a music management solution for Android devices, which it hopes will eventually challenge iTunes. And Amazon?s Cloud Drive is a cloud-based solution that's pit directly against iCloud, offering cloud storage support for music tracks, photos, videos or documents. Amazon is also expected to launch its own mobile devices, smartphones and tablets, running Android OS.



RIM recently launched its first BlackBerry 7 smartphones with several U.S. carriers and plans to eventually transition the handsets to QNX, the mobile OS currently used in the PlayBook tablet.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 42
    msimpsonmsimpson Posts: 452member
    What will they stream, elevator muzac music?
  • Reply 2 of 42
    chabigchabig Posts: 641member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    This unnamed BlackBerry service it is expected to help RIM enrich its mobile experience...



    Sounds like RIM hired some Microsoft marketeers. Next, they're going to explain how BBM helps you stay connected to the people you care about most.
  • Reply 3 of 42
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    zzzzzzzzzzzz
  • Reply 4 of 42
    wovelwovel Posts: 956member
    Lol.....
  • Reply 5 of 42
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    Let me guess - they're going to use Real Media format for everything, just to guarantee this ill-fated fiasco flames out in the most spectacular manner possible.



    If the goal is to drive RIM into the ground as hard as possible, they're using a pile-driver here and took the governors off the engine.
  • Reply 6 of 42
    leesmithleesmith Posts: 121member
    Today, webOS. RIM, you're next!
  • Reply 7 of 42
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    Sounds like a Hail Mary pass that will land in the bleachers.
  • Reply 8 of 42
    the Canadian company is already ?in late-stage negotiations with the major labels,?



    All the Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot you can download!
  • Reply 9 of 42
    If we're lucky, this is where all the Rush songs will go...
  • Reply 10 of 42
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    They'll have to be able to handle dozens of streams simultaneously.



    When does amateur hour end? Any predictions?
  • Reply 11 of 42
    mcdavemcdave Posts: 1,927member
    Ahh. That's so sweet. May be they can produce a scroll wheel overlay for Blackberries.



    Maybe they can stream funeral music as the clods of earth finally lay them to rest.



    McD
  • Reply 12 of 42
    orlandoorlando Posts: 601member
    RiM is on its last legs as a business phone in North America, but BlackBerry is a very popular phone with teenagers in the rest of the world and is growing fast (you get free messaging without requiring an expensive dataplan) so adding a music service makes a lot of sense.
  • Reply 13 of 42
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Orlando View Post


    RiM is on its last legs as a business phone in North America, but BlackBerry is a very popular phone with teenagers in the rest of the world and is growing fast (you get free messaging without requiring an expensive dataplan) so adding a music service makes a lot of sense.



    I heard that it's real popular with certain thugs in the UK who like to arrange and make riot plans through BBM.
  • Reply 14 of 42
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by camross View Post


    the Canadian company is already ?in late-stage negotiations with the major labels,?



    All the Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot you can download!





    Hey, make all the RIM jokes you want but lay off Gordy OK?
  • Reply 15 of 42
    Can a BB ejaculate (or spew) a song to another BB like the Zune could?
  • Reply 16 of 42
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by camross View Post


    the Canadian company is already “in late-stage negotiations with the major labels,”



    All the Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot you can download!



    Don't forget Sgt. Preston of the Mounties, and his dog King.



    ... Or Nelson Eddy and Janette McDonald



    Edit: I went to a Gordon Lightfoot concert in San Jose -- he sang Sundown... Over and over and over...



    Last concert I ever attended...
  • Reply 17 of 42
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Music service for a failing device?



    Folks have to actually *want* RIM's antiques in order for this "music service" to mean anything.



    Another RIM fail. They're so f***ed.
  • Reply 18 of 42
    This is cruel, but a valid question...



    What products and services will RIMM need to discontinue or spin-off in order to survive?



    Edit: the question should have been people, products and services
  • Reply 19 of 42
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    Yeah. Good luck with all of that.
  • Reply 20 of 42
    Huh. You'd think RIM would be using its last few months on Earth maximizing its potential to become a favorable takeover target or at least take care of its core competencies. But instead, you get this act of...irrelevance? desperation?



    Good luck with the new music service.
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