Three of the most powerful technology companies – Google, Apple and Amazon have devoted a lot of effort for the development of cloud streaming music. This allows consumers to store their music collections in the cloud and stream it to their devices. Now, with so much exciting features, consumers are really eager to make an investment in the service. But, before making a big investment they should be aware of all the pros and cons, and then take decisions accordingly. This article guides through the benefits and drawbacks of cloud music service.
Pros :
- Stream Anywhere – With music stored on the internet, all we need is our device to connect to the storage regardless of our position. So, this provides on the go music facilities. Access the entire music collection from anywhere.
- Cost – It will make easy for the users to purchase music from their respective digital stores. There is an increase in competition among the companies, so prices will tend to fall. Those who are in habit of buying cd’s will find it a cheaper option.
- Back Ups – Cloud music providers like Apple, Amazon, and Google have massive data centers with redundant servers and data synced to multiple locations. So, you are quite safe with data and your investments.
- Competition – The market is witnessing a great competition among major companies. So, this can bring digital music prices down, while simultaneously increasing ease of access of music.
Cons :
- No Cloud – There is nothing we can do if we cannot access our storage. Streaming music assumes that we are connected to web. So, in case where internet service is down, we won’t be able to enjoy our music.
- Storage Cost – For a large space, there needs an increased investment which is quite a hurdle for cloud streaming. On Amazon, there is a 50GB plan for $50 a year, but for over 60GB of music one would have to spend $100. For $100 one can buy a 2TB external drive to store music or anything else.
- Device Standards – Some services may limit the number of devices that we can use to connect to our music collection. May be it has something to do with the licensing agreements. This will make the user to choose the service provider specifically considering their devices.
- Change in Rules – The cloud music provider can play with the prices, lower the storage capacity, limit the number or type of devices the music can be played on. Licensing deals could expire and content you have paid for might suddenly no longer work.
Cloud Music service is surely one thing we can go for. But, maintaining our own backups, and watching other issues can help us to embrace it properly.