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Digital
Amazon ready to relaunch digital locker
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 19 June 2012
Amazon is set to relaunch its digital locker offer next month after agreeing licensing deals with all four majors, according to reports.
As previously reported, Amazon, like Google, launched a music-focused online storage service in the US last year without any licences from record companies or music publishers, arguing that its customers could upload copies of digital files to its servers without infringing copyright, utilising their private copy right.
While execs at the majors disagreed – arguing that the locker’s playback function was not covered by the private copy right – talks have nevertheless been ongoing between the etailer and the music firms, because the former had ambitions to introduce extra functionality, similar to that offered by rival Apple, that would definitely require licences from rights owners.
C-Net reported earlier this month that negotiations for an enhanced Amazon locker were now well underway, and latest reports suggest deals have now been done with Universal, Sony, EMI and Warner. The enhanced Amazon music storage service is expected to launch in the US in July, with European roll out later this year.