Can Amazon’s Cloud Player Stand Up Against iTunes Match?

by Michael Lamardo

2012 seems to be the year of the anti-Apple uprising by several companies mirroring the offerings of the tech and gadget giant. Between the efforts of Google and Amazon, both taking on Apple in the gadget war with the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire 2 respectively, such companies have had enough of the domination put forth by Apple.

As mentioned a while back, Amazon is taking another stab at Apple, this time in the music realm, an association most consumers immediately place with iTunes. Many are putting their faith in Amazon’s Cloud Player to measure up against the abilities of iTunes Match, which is the program that allows users to store all of their music in Apple’s iCloud.

Cloud Player has already struck many deals with the same recording companies that iTunes has gotten to, which already gives Amazon a fighting chance when it comes to content. With so many record companies backing up, they would be happy one way or another with the results that come about.

Besides that, does the Amazon system have a lasting chance against iTunes? It’s certainly possible. Like the comparison of any two objects, there are some benefits and losses that will be faced with each one.

One of the biggest differences that is worth taking note of is the max capacity allowed in song storage, a feature that Amazon is successful in majorly outdoing Apple. While iTunes Match allows 25,000 songs, Amazon allows 250,000. And no, that isn’t an extra zero by mistake.

It should be known that these numbers are with the $24.99 per year option that you would pay on either the Apple or Amazon system. There is a free option offered by Amazon with the ability to store just 250 songs.

Now is anyone going to ever get around to uploading a quarter of a million songs? It’s not likely, but that kind of capability speaks volumes about the kind of resources Amazon is working with. Another big advantage Amazon has over iTunes is the ability to stream from any device that has a web browser, something that iTunes Match does not allow at all.

On top of that, Cloud Player will allow music to be played on both Android and Apple devices – this kind of spread does a lot for Amazon since only Apple products can be used to play with iTunes.

So what’s it looking like? Amazon definitely has a chance against Apple in the oncoming battle. What matters perhaps are the questions involved in continuous brand loyalty. But when the advantages come more to light, more heads will start to turn towards Amazon.

Mike Lamardo is a contributor towards music and entertainment industry websites and blogs including Band Brand, DX 3 as well as others.