Omnifone™ Platform Services Enables Cloud Based Access to Music Across Multiple Sony Devices; Gracenote® Content and Technology Lets Subscribers Sync Existing Music Collection and Get Smarter Music Recommendations
CANNES, France. — MIDEM Conference – Jan. 25, 2011 — Gracenote and Omnifone today announced that their technology is driving the back-end of “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity,” Sony’s new Cloud based digital music service, which gives music fans access to millions of songs from the four major labels, leading independent labels and major publishers—on Sony network connected devices.
Omnifone provided its award-winning platform services to develop and deliver the Cloud-based service for “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity” across a range of device platforms and also licensed the service with rights holders around the world, providing a global catalogue of over six million tracks for subscribers to enjoy.
“’Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity’ represents several years of development and licensing investment by Omnifone on behalf of Sony to produce the first Cloud based music service which will work on Sony’s network connected devices, as well as a wide range of Android-based products from other brands,” added Rob Lewis, Executive Chairman of Omnifone. “Our partnership with Sony will bring compelling legitimate digital music access to the homes and living rooms of millions of consumers worldwide.”
Gracenote’s music identification and discovery technologies and Global Media Database create a rich experience for “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity” subscribers, letting them enjoy their existing digital music collection and discover new artists and albums within Sony’s service.
Using Gracenote’s MusicID® advanced audio fingerprinting technology, the service’s unique “Music Sync” capabilities lets subscribers sync their existing songs on their PC into the “Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity” service, allowing them to access and enjoy music they already own on Sony network connected devices— BRAVIA® TV, Blu-ray Disc™ player, Blu-ray Disc Home Theater system, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system as well as VAIO and other personal computers.
Once the subscriber’s collection is mirrored in the catalogue, Gracenote’s Global Media Database and Discover™ technology, enables ”Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity” subscribers to explore and discover new music based on their unique tastes and listening habits. Gracenote’s recommendation and discovery technologies are powered through the relational mapping of a track’s sonic attributes in the Gracenote Global Media Database. This relational data, which includes rich proprietary artist and track attributes, is then used to generate highly targeted music recommendations.
“We are pleased to be supporting a service that will be bringing such unique and seamless accessibility to music content for consumers around the globe,” said Craig Palmer, Gracenote president. “’Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity’ serves as a perfect platform for our recognition and discovery technologies, which will allow music fans to experience what they want to hear, wherever and whenever they want.”
Gracenote’s database, which provides the backbone for some of the most popular music solutions today, is the largest and most comprehensive music database in the world featuring music and video metadata and licensed cover art images. With more than 100 million tracks and eight million albums, the database processes more than 5.5 billion queries per month and serves more than 250 million users in more than 200 countries and territories.
Gracenote and Omnifone have been in a partnership for more than two years to provide a solution for easy integration of a consumer’s personal music collection with Omnifone’s unlimited music subscription service and seamless synchronization of both across a consumer’s personal devices – from mobile phones to desktop PCs, to home entertainment systems and in-car stereos.
“Music Unlimited powered by Qriocity” is currently available in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany and Spain with the service set to launch in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and U.S. in Q1 2011.
Gracenote at MIDEM
Gracenote executives will be attending MIDEM 2011. To set up a briefing please contact Veronica Skelton at 415.342.3435 or vskelton@gracenote.com.
Tags: cloud music, digital music, Gracenote, MIDEM, Music Unlimited by Qriocity, Omnifone, Sony
