Apple's 'Digital Locker' For Music Will Cost $20 Per Year - Report

Although it wasn’t announced at the iPad 2 launch as expected, a revamped MobileMe service is expected to hit in April and include a “digital locker,” where customers can store their music and perhaps other files ‘in a cloud.’ One source, The Music Void, says Apple has decided to charge $20 per year for this package and has already received the approval of at least one record label. Earlier this month, we told you about Apple’s plan to revamp its MobileMe service. The alleged reboot will eliminate the $99 per year price tag, to be replaced with a free base package. This new report sheds some light on the reboot’s most significant component, the alleged introduction of a cloud-based service, which will allow users to store files purchased in iTunes. According to The Music Void, Apple and Warner have already signed an agreement to allow customers to store their music files ‘in a cloud.’ Universal Music and EMI are also said to be close to approving the package as well. Sony, the other top record label, might give Apple some “pushback,” but in the end, they too should be okay with the plans. They state:

The reality is that, no matter what Jon Bon Jovi says, the record industry is Steve Jobs’ bitch. Jobs knows it and so does everyone else.

Despite a flurry of rumors going back many months, we are still missing a few more details, however, about this alleged MobileMe cloud concept, including the type of files it will store and how they will be retrieved.  Plus, the result this will have on future iTunes purchases. The “digital locker” will almost certainly store music and customer files, but we haven’t heard yet about video. In addition, will these files be playable from each iDevice? More significantly, will future iTunes purchases go exclusively ‘to the cloud’ or will this be some sort of add-on? Hopefully, Apple will answer these questions and more in the coming weeks. [Via 9to5mac]

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