Sony is launching a new photo sharing service - called PlayMemories Online - during Spring 2012. The service allows photos and videos to be shared across devices running the app.

Sony said on Friday that the service would launch "next week," and will initially be available in six countries: the U.S., Japan, Canada, Germany, France and the UK. The service will launch in those countries from May 25 with 5GB of free storage.

Users can upload photos and videos, taken with Sony cameras, using the service and its "PlayMemories Home" software for Windows and Mac. Android and iPhone apps will allows smartphones and tablets to take and upload pictures.

The media can be shared online, or viewed using a Sony Bravia TV or a digital picture frame. Some Sony camera can use Wi-Fi to send photos and video to mobile devices, which can then be uploaded.

Sony is using the service as a link between its product in a similar way to how Apple allows content to be viewed across its devices using iCloud. Both companies could see more competition in the future, too, as Samsung reportedly will be rolling out its own cloud service.

Samsung's cloud service will apparently be called the "S-Cloud," and could launch at an event in London on May 3, Maeil Business reported. The event is where the Samsung Galaxy S3 will launch, so the phone could be the flagship device for the service. There was no firm word on the storage capacity the service would launch with, though 5GB was mentioned as a "suggested amount." It's also possible the service will launch unlimited storage, like Amazon's approach to media bought through its store.

Sony is bringing its gaming console into the service, announcing a photo editing suite for the PlayStation 3 that integrates into PlayMemories Online. The PlayStation Vita, and even PlayStation Portable devices, will be able to view and edit photos.

The company is also working on expanded its services beyond Sony products, and has integrated brought many of its services together in the PlayStation Network.

(reported by Jonathan Charles, edited by Dave Clark)