MUMBAI: Google has finally launched an online music service. It has launched an Android music store to compete with iTunes and Amazon.com.

However, the service is available for Android users in the US only as Google has not done deals with record labels to allow it to sell songs globally. The view in the industry is mixed. Some feel that Google has arrived too late while others feel that competition is always healthy. It will result in services improving.

Google senior VP mobile Andy Rubin said, "Google Music is open in the US at market.android.com, and over the next few days, we will roll out the music store to Android market on devices running Android 2.2 and above. You can also pick up the new music app from Android Market and start listening to your music on your phone or tablet today."

He noted that last May Google launched a beta service with a clear ambition: to help people access their music collections easily from any device. "Music Beta enabled you to upload your personal music collection (up to 20,000 songs) for free to the cloud so you could stream it anywhere, any time. Now the beta service evolves into a broader platform: Google Music. Google Music is about discovering, purchasing, sharing and enjoying digital music in new, innovative and personalised ways."

The aim of Google Music he explains is to help consumers spend more time listening to their collection and less time managing it.

The store offers over 13 million tracks from artists on Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, EMI, and the global independent rights agency Merlin as well as over 1,000 prominent independent labels including Merge Records, Warp Records, Matador Records, XL Recordings and Naxos. It has also partnered with the world's largest digital distributors of independent music including IODA, INgrooves, The Orchard and Believe Digital.

Music lovers can purchase individual songs or entire albums right from their computer or their Android device and they'll be added instantly to ones Google Music library, and accessible anywhere.