document: Clouds over Amazon.com Amazon.com 's recently announced cloud-based music storage and streaming product has already run into resistance from the recording industry , but the service may have bigger problems than that . While some music fans are applauding the idea of storing their tunes in the cloud , the Amazon Cloud Drive is facing criticism because of the time it takes to upload files and fueling experts ' doubts . Carl Howe , director of the Yankee Group 's Anywhere Consumer Research Group , said the market for the service has yet to be proven . `` I really do n't hear people complaining that they do n't have cloud access to their music , '' he said . The service gives users 5 gigabytes of free space to store files -- music , photos or documents , for example -- in the cloud , accessible from any computer with an Internet connection . Extra storage can be purchased for $ 1 per GB , at intervals ranging from 20GB to 1,000 GB . Songs bought through Amazon 's MP3 store can be automatically uploaded to the cloud service , and streamed via Web browser or a mobile app made for Google 's Android mobile operating system . The app will not be available for Apple iOS devices such as the iPhone or iPad . Apple , which has been the dominant player in digital music for years , imposes restrictions on music-playing apps sold in the iTunes App Store . Amazon 's streaming service has already run afoul of the record labels , which want licensing fees for the streamed music and the company has quickly agreed to work out deals with the labels . Apple bought music - streaming company LaLa in 2009 , but shut the service down last year . At the time , rumors swirled that Apple was readying a cloud-based iTunes , but Howe said iTunes ' success has been based on Apple 's philosophy that people like to own their music and carry it around with them . Google is reportedly testing a new music service . Howe said the Cloud Drive is trying to do too many things -- including acting as a digital storage locker and streaming music service -- which may confuse consumers . `` It 's got to decide what it wants to be when it grows up , '' he said . Still , Howe added that the market may develop after a few years , and called the service a low-risk move on Amazon 's part , since the technology is built on the company 's existing cloud infrastructure . `` They already had this stuff , '' he said . bizsmart@bostonherald.com
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