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Google Music gets UK launch

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The much-anticipated Google Music download service has launched in the UK.

The service allows anyone in the UK with an Android device to browse and purchase tracks on the go as well are download songs using Google Play’s desktop app.

The service has been going in the US for a year now and has only just come to these shores. Google hopes the launch will take market share away from Apple and its mighty iTunes, which works on Mac OS X and iOS devices, such as the iPhone, iPad and Ipod.

As well as downloads, the service offers a can and Match service means users can store up to 20,000 tracks for free on Google’s servers, accessing them wherever they are via their smartphone. This rivals Apple’s iTunes Match service, but that costs £21.99 per year.

Google has updated its Music app, which comes as the standard music player on some Android devices.

One of the new features of the app is the ability to create instant mixes, while clicking on an artists name brings up the option to shop for more of their content.

However, the British music industry is not best please with Google.

The BPI’s [British Phonographic Industry’s] chief executive Geoff Taylor, told Radio 1’s Newsbeat: “We don’t think it makes any sense for them to be doing something which does support artists and then, on the other hand, undermine artists by referring consumers to illegal sites. We personally think that three months should be long enough to get it working.”

Not that this will be the sole concern of Google. Its new Nexus 4 smartphone and Nexus 10 tablets have gone on sale with its smartphone immediately selling out.

Since going on sale earlier today, Google’s servers have had a tough time coping with the influx of orders and in Australia, the phones have all but sold out.

The Google Nexus 4 is a 4.7-inch-display, LG-made smartphone with a 1.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chip and 2GB of RAM – for £239 for the 8GB model, or £279 for the 16GB variety.

The Samsung-produced Nexus 10 – sporting a 10.1-inch high-resolution display – will be available to buy for £319 for the 16GB model or £389 for the 32GB version.