Kim Dotcom Hints That Megabox Will Launch This Year

Back in June, we reported that Megauplaod founder Kim Dotcom will be moving forward with Megabox, his vision of a cloud-based music service, despite having most of his assets seized as part of his indictment for criminal copyright infringement and conspiracy. Yesterday on Twitter, Dotcom provided another big clue that his service is not only indeed coming, but also on schedule to launch by the end of the year.

First revealed in December of 2011 before his criminal proceeding became known by the public, Dotcom introduced Megabox as “a site that will soon allow artists to sell their creations direct to consumers and allowing artists to keep 90% of earnings.” Dotcom feels that artists should “rejoice” that his service aims to shift the balance of power from corporations to the artists who produce the content itself.

"You can expect several Megabox announcements next year including exclusive deals with artists who are eager to depart from outdated business models," Dotcom said back in December.

It was through Dotcom’s Twitter account yesterday that he made two revealing announcements about the status of Megabox:

And if that wasn't a big enough hint…

Dotcom's value proposition for Megabox is an interesting one for both artists and fans. He has said that Megabox will allow artists to earn money even from free downloads, while promising “unlimited space for all your music.” Judging from the screenshot below, Megabox appears to also include a player, a search feature, a shop section, and a degree of social integration.

Click image to enlarge:

It's interesting that Dotcom specifically mentions "100% safe" in his recent tweet. Perhaps this latest venture hopes to unchain the fallen CEO from his stigma as a conspirator and re-brand his image as a positive disruptor in the music technology sector. 

Dotcom was freed on bail in February, along with several other Megaupload employees arrested during the investigation. His extradition hearing has now been rescheduled to March 2013 because of complications stemming from the way authorities handled the case - giving him plenty of time to prepare for Megabox's launch and inital rollout.

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