Google + Amazon = mobile music store

Online retailer Amazon has teamed up with the 800 lb. gorilla of search engines, Google, to announce a new online music store that will allow users to purchase MP3s from Amazon via mobile devices using Google’s new “Android” operating system. Apple immediately announced it would be discontinued, as it “replicates functionality found in iTunes.”

Okay, I made that last bit up.

From Wired:

Owners of the device will be able to browse, search, preview and purchase music on the Amazon MP3 store using the phone’s cellular connection. In order for purchased MP3s to download, the phone must be connected via Wi-Fi. (The mobile iTunes store, on the other hand, remains completely offline without WiFi.)

Oooh, burn! The article goes on to note that in addition to the frustration developers are having with Apple’s policy for iPhone development, there’s the added problem that Apple is limiting any functionality with the iPod bits of the wildly popular phone. Plus, all of Amazon’s tracks are MP3s, which means no DRM.

Via [Wired]