Samsung has announced that it's launching its Music Hub service in the U.S. today. The service is being billed by Samsung as "the first completely integrated, all-in-one mobile music service." Music Hub allows users to upload their music collection to the cloud, stream and purchase new music and listen to personalized radio stations. The service is now available for download through the Google Play store or the Samsung Hub for the AT&T and U.S. Cellular Galaxy S III models, and Samsung says that support for the Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon versions will be announced later on.
Music Hub is available either in free or premium versions that offer slightly different features. The free version allows users to buy tracks (and listen to 30-second samples) from all four major labels and some independents, store purchased music in the cloud and use a Music Hub web player to access their library and the store. Meanwhile, the paid version is priced at $9.99 per month and includes a scan-and-match feature that'll upload unmatched songs into a 100GB music locker, unlimited streaming of the entire Music Hub catalog, personalized radio stations and customized recommendations. New users will receive a 30-day free trial of the Music Hub Premium service.
Samsung's Music Hub has actually been available with the Galaxy S III in select European countries since the device's launch in late May, but it's nice to finally see Samsung giving U.S. Galaxy S III owners access to the service. Overall Music Hub sounds like an interesting mashup of several existing music services, and with the 30-day free trial of the Premium version, Galaxy S III users don't have much of a reason to not give it a shot. You can find Samsung's full announcement below. If you've got an AT&T or U.S. Cellular Galaxy S III and decide to download Music Hub, the comments section below is a great place to share your thoughts on the service while simultaneously jamming to some tunes.
Samsung Mobile Launches Music Hub in U.S. on the Galaxy S III with a Free 30-Day Trial
3-in-1 mobile music solution lets you upload your music collection to the cloud, stream and purchase songs from an extensive catalog, and listen to personal radio
DALLAS (July 31, 2012) — Samsung Music Hub – the first completely integrated, all-in-one mobile music service – is now available in the U.S. on the Galaxy S® III. Music Hub simplifies and enhances the everyday experience of listening to music. The mobile music service provides a rich music experience for everyone whether users are an avid collectors wanting easy access to their own music collection, someone with ever-changing music tastes, who likes to sample a broad selection of music and genres or individuals who prefer radio.
A free 30-day trial of the service will be extended to new Music Hub users in the U.S. New subscribers also will be able to choose a free album that will be instantly available on their Galaxy S III and can also be uploaded to their personal music collections on the internet.
“We’re redefining mobile music by offering a more integrated experience on the handset and lifting the barriers to your music. Our service encompasses all music including your own collection in the cloud, a robust streaming catalog that is seamlessly integrated with a music store, and a personal radio service that caters to all of your music moods and genres,” said TJ Kang, senior vice president of the media services team for Samsung. “By providing a free album and trial, we hope Galaxy S III owners will experience for themselves a new, intuitive and easy way to discover music.”
Based on the technology services of mSpot, a leading mobile content service provider recently acquired by Samsung, the new Music Hub service will initially be available on Samsung Galaxy S III devices sold through leading U.S. carriers. Galaxy S III users can access the application directly on select handsets and via the Samsung App Store or Google Play. More information on accessing Music Hub on select handsets can be found at: http://www.samsung.com/us/article/music-hub-all-the-music-you-want-all-i.... This pairing with the Galaxy S III is ideal as the overall Music Hub experience has been optimized and specifically designed for mobile devices. Advanced streaming and downloading options let users save storage space, play music when offline, and cut down on mobile data usage. Audio settings are designed to prolong battery life and ensure smooth streaming even under spotty network coverage.
The Music Hub service will be offered as both a free and premium version.
Music Hub Store (free) allows users to:
Access millions of songs from the 7digital catalog – which includes music from all four major labels (Sony, EMI, Universal, and Warner), plus select independents– from which users can buy tracks and albums, as well as listen to 30-second previews of all songs
Store purchased music in the cloud, allowing it to automatically load on all registered Music Hub devices, while still being available on those registered devices locally for offline listening.
Use the Music Hub web player, in addition to the mobile app, with which users can access their music library and the Music Hub catalog/store online at www.musichub.com.
Music Hub Premium ($9.99 per month, with a free 30-day trial offered) offers access to all of the free version features, as well as:
A Scan & Match Cloud Locker: Upload music to the cloud to play it on any device registered with a Music Hub account. Music Hub also utilizes scan-and-match technology to decrease upload time and ensure high-quality playback. Any unmatched songs are directly uploaded from user’s library to the cloud offering 100 GB of storage for all unmatched songs, so users can access rare or personal recordings across their devices. Music Hub also automatically updates playlists or music purchases music updated across all registered devices.
A catalog of millions of songs for purchase AND streaming: Enjoy full access to 7digital’s entire Music Hub catalog, including music from all four major labels, to stream or purchase, with unlimited plays and no advertisements. Search for new music, create playlists, share songs with friends, and view lyrics and album information.
Personalized and Custom Radio: Create personal stations based on favorite songs and artists, or browse genre stations recommended and custom-created by the Music Hub team. Users also can tag songs they like to find and play back later.
Customized Recommendations: Discover great new songs, artists, albums and radio stations all the time – and the more users listen, the better Music Hub’s recommendations will get.
Samsung, Music Hub, Galaxy and Galaxy S are all trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
About Samsung Telecommunications America
Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, (Samsung Mobile) a Dallas-based subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., researches, develops and markets wireless handsets, wireless infrastructure and other telecommunications products throughout North America. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
About mSpot
mSpot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., which was formed in 2004 and acquired by Samsung in 2012. A provider of innovative music and video delivery service for mobile devices, the company has been offering white-labeled cloud entertainment services for mobile carriers such as AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. It also has its own brand services available in the Android Marketplace or App Store. For more information, go to www.mspotcorporate.com.
About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2011 consolidated sales of US$143.1 billion. Employing approximately 206,000 people in 197 offices across 72 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LED. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.
About 7digital Limited
7digital is a leading digital content technology company based in London. Through 7digital’s download store (http://www.7digital.com) and mobile applications, consumers can access over 19 million legal high quality music tracks, as well as audiobooks and videos, at competitive prices across Europe, North America and beyond. Combining 7digital’s secure and robust technology platform with the broadest agreements in the digital media industry, the company provides comprehensive digital download and streaming services to a wide range of partners and brands around the world. 7digital’s enterprise level Application Programming Interface (API) is used by 300 partners globally, including Samsung’s Music Hub.
