SONY HAS begun a roll-out of its “cloud-based” music streaming service with an initial launch in the UK and Ireland, in what it hopes will be a challenge to Apple and Google as digital music moves from hard drives to the internet.

Sony’s Music Unlimited service offers access to six million songs through the Japanese company’s internet-linked televisions, Blu-ray video players, PlayStation game consoles and Vaio personal computers.

Kazuo Hirai, executive vice-president in charge of Sony’s network business, said the service would be offered only on Sony hardware for the first few years, though the company might later make it compatible with products from other manufacturers. “In the short term, we want to increase the appeal of Sony devices,” he said. “Eventually, the business will have to stand on its own.”

Sony has failed in previous attempts to weaken Apple’s grip on online digital music sales. Its Connect music download store, a rival to Apple’s iTunes store, closed in 2008. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010