Amazon’s Cloud Player desktop app targets iTunes by adding a MP3 store

Amazon released a new version of its Cloud Player application for desktop PCs today that adds some new features and in-app purchasing of music.

Amazon’s Cloud Player apps are intended to help people manage their digital media collections, which are usually spread out among a few different applications or platforms. But let’s face it, most people rely entirely on iTunes when it comes to managing their music. And that could be part of why Amazon decided to add an MP3 store to the PC desktop app. Amazon already consistently beats Apple’s iTunes store when it comes to low prices on songs/albums (78 percent lower music prices on average), so adding a functional music store to Cloud Player’s desktop app is a no brainer.

But aside from the potential competition with Apple, the Cloud Player desktop also lets users download their music library to a hard drive for offline listening and playlist creation. But with today’s update, it also lays the groundwork for a more integrated media experience on Amazon’s next line of tablets. The company announced yesterday that it will be releasing new Kindle Fire HDX tablets that make it easier for people to share their media purchases, including music, across many devices.

While the company only has a desktop app for Windows-based machines right now, Amazon does indicate on its Cloud Player splash page that a Mac version is in the works.