Google Play Music 4.1.513: The Rename and What It Offered

What the app did

• It played your music collection from anywhere, with the library stored online, so no syncing and no storage worries.
• Songs bought on Google Play appeared in the app automatically.
• You could add up to 20,000 songs from your own computer for free.
• Favourites could be saved for offline playback.
• Buyers could share a free full play of a purchased song with friends on Google+.
• It worked on Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Canadian problem

The service was limited to the U.S., so Canadians could not simply install and use it. The original post pointed to a file from a developer forum and an older guide for using the cloud service from Canada. This page does not repeat those steps. Installing apps from outside the store carries risk, and the whole service has long since changed.

Why the rename mattered

Google was putting its stores under one Play brand. Music joined apps, books and movies, which made the family of services easier to recognise.