HTC has been pushing its music credentials of late, releasing audio-focused phones such as the Rezound and including Beats Audio technology in its Sense UI for Android 4.0. It's not a stretch to imagine the company starting a cloud-based music initiative like compatriots Acer, and according to GigaOm that's exactly what's planned. A new streaming service will apparently be preloaded on future HTC phones and tablets, serving as the default media player, but the company is still working out pricing and other details.

Despite recent troubles, HTC could be well-placed to make such a move — it's the majority stakeholder in Beats Electronics, a company co-founded by Jimmy Iovine, who's also said to be involved in the development of this service. Iovine's the influential head of Universal Music subsidiary label Interscope Geffen A&M, which could help HTC navigate the notoriously slippery road of licensing music for streaming. GigaOm's sources say the service is likely to be unveiled at Mobile World Congress later this month.