Apple sign license deal for music-streaming service, Amazon to launch audio device

With today’s news that online streaming are set to be calculated in future sales figures, it seems that all the big companies are trying to get a slice on the action. It’s now been revealed that Apple have agreed a licensing deal for their prospective iRadio product, while Amazon are developing an audio-streaming platform of their own.

Music Week report that Apple have “signed a global licensing deal with Universal Music for its new streaming service” but are “yet to complete agreements with Sony and Warner”. Meanwhile Amazon are “reportedly developing a range of hardware products including an audio-only device that streams music”.

It was announced this week that one hundred stream via on-demand services such as Spotify would classify as the same as one physical or digital sale in future gold and platinum disc classifications.