_Apple has decided to shut down Lala.com and focus on its own music strategy._

_To our loyal listeners and talented artists: thank you for your support. We built Lala.com because we believe people should be able to enjoy all the great music they love anytime, anywhere and on any device. Our goal has always been to give our users the best experience possible. Now, we will turn over that charge to Apple._

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Apple is shutting down the popular music-streaming company Lala.com, according to multiple sources. The move comes as Apple is expected to launch its own cloud-based music service later this year.

Lala.com, founded in 2006, offers a variety of music-streaming services, including a subscription service that gives users access to the entire Lala catalog of over 12 million songs. The company also offers a "playlist-sharing" feature that allows users to create playlists and share them with others.

Apple's decision to shut down Lala.com suggests that the company is planning to enter the cloud music-streaming market. Apple is reportedly working on a new music service that will allow users to stream music from the cloud and store their music in the cloud. The service is expected to be available later this year.

The move to cloud-based music streaming could have major benefits for Apple. Cloud streaming eliminates the need to download songs, which can save space on a device. It also makes it easier to share music with friends.

Apple is not the first company to enter the cloud music-streaming market. Spotify, Pandora, and Rdio are among the other major players in this market. However, Apple has the potential to be a major force in this market due to its large user base and its brand recognition.

If Apple enters the cloud-based music streaming market, it will likely lead to increased competition in this market. This could lead to lower prices for users and more innovative services.