Google could launch a free ad-supported music service in China

While search engine companies continue to be targeted in the Chinese market for linking to pirated media, market sources claim that Google is planning to launch a free service offering legal music for download.

Google is said to be working on a new service for this market to make available free, legal music search service in China which would be supported by online advertising.

Reports claim that they could launch this service in the coming weeks. Wall Street Journal claims that they would begin by offering music from three major music companies.

Market analysts believe that if this is true, china could provide them a tough testing ground for launching similar services in other markets including USA and Europe.

Dan Cryan, music industry analyst at Screen Digest had this to say on these reports: “They are already involved - it’s just a question of how they take that forward. They could set up their own store, but that’s a harder sell. They didn’t exactly set the world on fire when they tried to offer TV content.”

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