Google may soon offer a way to upload audio files to Google Play Music on a Chromebook.
While dedicated desktop music uploading apps exist for Windows, Mac and Linux, there is currently no way to upload music to Google’s cloud music service from a device running Chrome OS.
But that appears to be about to change. A drag-and-drop browser upload feature has been discovered hidden in the Google Play Music website’s source code.
Amongst the strings discovered is a line reading:
“Drag songs or folders here to add music to your library. Or, if you prefer, select from your computer.”
The Google Play Music Basics
Google’s music service allows users to upload and store 20,000 tracks for free, with music purchased from the Google Play Music Store not counting towards the limit. It’s expected that space for storing additional tracks will be available to purchase at extra cost in the future.
After upload, music can be played back using any internet-connected computer or mobile with a web browser, or by installing dedicated apps on iOS and Android. The mobile apps are notable for including a feature allowing users to choose a number of songs to be ‘cached’ offline for connection-free playback.
A number of third-party applications, including one for the Chrome OS system tray, are also available. A desktop Chrome App is rumoured to be in development.