Google's not content with being just an online digital locker for your music, it wants you buy MP3s from it, too. A New York Times report suggests Google is looking to open an online MP3 store and is negotiating with the record labels to secure the necessary licensing agreements.
Google currently has an online music service, Music Beta, that serves as an online digital locker. You can upload your music library and access it remotely, but you can't purchase new music through the service. This limitation puts Google at a distinct disadvantage when compared to its competition.
And there's a lot of competition. Services like Rdio and Spotify offer subscriptions that'll let you stream music across a variety of devices. iTunes will match your music and sync it through iCloud. And then there's Amazon's Cloud Music which lets you upload and stream your personal library. You can also add tracks by purchasing them from Amazon's Mp3 store, but there is no all-you-can-eat subscription.
According to the NYT report, Google's gunning for Amazon, but it has to improve its bargaining skills. The company pursued similar negotiations with the music industry earlier this year, but the parties failed to reach an agreement. If Google can secure the licensing agreements this time around, it could give Amazon and the others a run for their money. [NYT]