Apple’s Secret Cloud Strategy And Why Lala Is Critical

http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/01/19/apples-secret-cloud-strategy-and-why-lala-is-critical/

by dimas • 17 years ago

12 7 17 years ago

Would the cloud version of my iTunes library mean that I was effectively downloaded data each time I played a song? That'll kill me data cap on my iPhone plan!

jsz0• 17 years ago

Maybe someday. No wireless carrier could withstand millions of iPhones exclusively streaming content anytime soon. I think it's more likely streaming would be used only when you didn't have a local copy available. 32GB+ is probably enough storage for most people to keep the bulk of their collection local. For people with bigger collections I imagine a smarter syncing algorithm could reduce the need for streaming. Sync newly added files, don't bother syncing stuff I haven't listened to recently, sync my most played songs, etc.

awolf• 17 years ago

This goes along with the fact that Apple has released a their own draft standard for a http-based streaming format:

HTTP Live Streaming: http://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-pantos-http-live-streaming-...

HTTPLS is currently built into Mobile Safari and Sniw Leopard's Quicktime X.

grinich• 17 years ago

From what I saw at WWDC, it's also pretty good about switching bitrates based on connection speed.

crayz• 17 years ago

Would Apple actually store individual copies of each song, or would they use compression at some level so that if two users uploaded an identical MP3 rip of a song, it would "compress" down to only one copy on their servers?

Would it even be legal to swap one MP3 rip of a song for another(e.g. "upgrade" everyone to the 320kbps iTunes rip), assuming the source material was the same?

physcab• 17 years ago

I assume this strategy works because they would be functioning as a Dropbox-like service where they just supply the hard-drive space in the cloud. Since space is pretty cheap (and Apple has a ton of cash anyways), it seems like the perfect glue that can connect all of Apple's offline products.

johns• 17 years ago

The way Lala currently works is that it matches songs you have in your library with their cloud library and only uploads and stores your copy if there's no match. I don't know if Apple would continue doing it that way but that's how it works now.

Apple’s Secret Cloud Strategy And Why Lala Is Critical

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