Apple Gets Into Music Streaming Business

After years of dominating digital music sales, Apple has seemingly acquiesced and entered into the business of streaming music. The tech giant purchased digital streaming service Lala and is poised to dip its feet into streaming.

Analysts believe Apple has made the move largely to take advantage of Lala’s locker function, which allows users to upload music to a virtual, online storage locker and then access it from other locations like a separate computer, music player or phone. Such a feature should enable Apple to easily roll in the digital music it is well versed in, perhaps creating a virtual version of iTunes.

Much the way the iPod changed the music game when it came to the scene, streaming has presented the next transformation of music as we know it, allowing users a little more freedom than can be garnered from an MP3 player stuffed with tracks. We’ll see exactly what Apple does in the space…and how much it costs consumers. [via USA Today]