Amazon has opened a new front in a digital media battle with Apple and Google, beating rivals to the punch in offering to store US customers’ music collections on its servers, for them to access from any computer, Android phone or Android tablet.

The plan, which follows months of negotiation between record labels and Apple and Google about licensing the “cloud” storage offerings they plan to launch within a few months, surprised and divided the music industry.

Amazon has opened a new front in a digital media battle with Apple and Google, beating rivals to the punch in offering to store US customers’ music collections on its servers, for them to access from any computer, Android phone or Android tablet.

The plan, which follows months of negotiation between record labels and Apple and Google about licensing the “cloud” storage offerings they plan to launch within a few months, surprised and divided the music industry.