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Apple Considering Standalone iTunes Radio App for iOS 8

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Following its introduction at WWDC 2013, Apple's iTunes Radio music streaming service launched alongside iOS 7 in September of last year. The service is available within iTunes on the desktop and the Music app for iOS, allowing users create channels based on artists, genres or songs. To bring attention to the service and increase engagement, Apple may be spinning off iTunes Radio into its own app in iOS 8, according to a report by 9to5Mac.
As a standalone application, users will be able to more quickly access iTunes Radio. Psychologically for users, iTunes Radio will be its own app competing with the likes of the Pandora, Spotify, and iHeartRadio apps found on the App Store. The benefit for Apple, however, is that iTunes Radio will be pre-installed. The interface for the standalone iTunes Radio application is said to be nearly identical to the one found inside of the iOS Music app and its Home screen icon is a terrestrial radio graphic atop a red background.
Click to expand...
Apple originally wanted to launch iTunes Radio as a standalone app alongside iOS 6, but those plans allegedly fell through when licensing negotiations with major music labels hit a snag. As envisioned for iOS 8, the new standalone iTunes Radio reportedly would be similar to the current Music app version, continuing to offer Featured Stations and include a browsable music history. iOS users would maintain their ability to create and manage their music channels as well as purchase individual tracks.

itunes_radio_logo.png
Despite being buried within the iOS Music app, iTunes Radio continues to grow in popularity. A recent report from Edison Research and Statista places iTunes Radio as the third most popular music streaming service in the United States, edging out Spotify to land behind market leaders Pandora and iHeartRadio. The breakout of iTunes Radio into its own app in iOS 8 could further boost usage of the service.

Article Link: Apple Considering Standalone iTunes Radio App for iOS 8
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/12/itunes-radio-ios-8/
djtech42

djtech42

macrumors 65816
Jun 23, 2012
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Mason, OH
But it makes sense to have it in the music app... I don't want yet another icon on my home screen. I like having it in the music app.
 
rosalindavenue

rosalindavenue

macrumors 6502a
Dec 13, 2003
855
282
Virginia, USA
Before itunes radio came out I had hoped they were going full Spotify (as opposed to the radio model). I guess the thinking is that would kill off purchases.
 
Rudy69

Rudy69

macrumors 6502a
Mar 30, 2009
790
2,415
It makes sense, hiding it in the music app can't be good for visibility.

Maybe they can move it back there when the product has a larger user base
 
C

Chatter

macrumors 6502a
Jun 10, 2013
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Uphill from Downtown
Ok

I would probably like it free standing but its another app that cannot be deleted. Not sure how that balances in general. For ex, I never use the stocks app but I cant delete it.
 
G

gadgetguy03

macrumors regular
Nov 1, 2012
223
143
djtech42 said:
But it makes sense to have it in the music app... I don't want yet another icon on my home screen. I like having it in the music app.
Click to expand...

I use it so much I would replace the Music app with it in the dock area. While I'm sure it makes perfect sense to have it in the Music app, I think some people still don't know about it. I do because I follow all news pertaining to Apple and iOS but some of my non-tech friends didn't know about it.
 
S

Shayanftw

macrumors member
Feb 11, 2014
30
36
Germany
Not a bad idea considering most of the people don't even know what iTunes Radio is since it's hidden in the music app.
 
J

JHankwitz

macrumors 68000
Oct 31, 2005
1,911
58
Wisconsin
Chatter said:
I would probably like it free standing but its another app that cannot be deleted. Not sure how that balances in general. For ex, I never use the stocks app but I cant delete it.
Click to expand...

But you can move all your unwanted 'cannot delete' apps into a single folder icon to save desktop space.
 
A

atmc

macrumors regular
Jun 28, 2009
177
62
Porto, Portugal
Each day iTunes Radio is not available in Europe, Apple gives market to other musing services like Spotify. Releasing iTunes Radio in more countries should be what Apple is considering.
 
B

Bearxor

macrumors 6502a
Jun 7, 2007
773
497
The amount of "bloatware" Apple has been adding to their devices out of the box is starting to become... bothersome.
 
mdridwan47

mdridwan47

macrumors 6502
Jan 20, 2014
478
777
Seriously what's the point of restricting media in the age of open web.
Apple needs to join forces and push ahead to change this absurdity.
 
stiligFox

stiligFox

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2009
1,483
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10.0.1.3
Uff, but having the radio in with the other music just made sense! Just like having podcasts in the music app made sense to me. Splitting up the main apps just feels... Silly. Like having a seperate app for movies and tv shows.

I can see the merit if they are trying to make it more like the streaming apps on the App Store, but seriously, one of the reasons I use it over anything else is because I can access it and all y other music from the same app.

I dunno, I may be just silly though,
 
Ludatyk

Ludatyk

macrumors 603
May 27, 2012
5,356
4,347
Texas
I hope not. They shove Newspaper app in my face which should be in the App Store similar to iBooks.

Now, if they just plug iTunes Radio in the App Store...I'm ok with that, but not shoved on any of my iDevice screen.
 
efktd

efktd

macrumors 6502a
Sep 29, 2011
565
677
USA
They should do this. When I talk about iTunes Radio with friends, they've never heard of it. Or they don't know where it's at.
 
J

JHankwitz

macrumors 68000
Oct 31, 2005
1,911
58
Wisconsin
Ludatyk said:
I hope not. They shove Newspaper app in my face which should be in the App Store similar to iBooks.

Now, if they just plug iTunes Radio in the App Store...I'm ok with that, but not shoved on any of my iDevice screen.
Click to expand...

You can easily shove all you unwanted apps into a single folder icon and not have to deal with it ever again. (I think I hear an echo)
 
LagunaSol

LagunaSol

macrumors 601
Apr 3, 2003
4,798
0
They could keep Radio embedded in the Music app if they'd simply make it less cumbersome.

One thing I don't understand. When I start iTunes Radio playing via Siri ("Siri, play Classic Rock radio"), it starts playing just fine. But the Music app doesn't show up in the multitask view (double-tap home button). Odd. So I have to open the Music app. No biggie, but seems weird. But when Music opens, it doesn't automatically go to the iTunes Radio screen and show me what's currently playing. I have to manually select the tiny Now Playing button (not the easiest thing to find when you're driving). That seems counter-intuitive and clunky.
 
iapplelove

iapplelove

Suspended
Nov 22, 2011
5,324
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East Coast USA
This would be great because I don't use iTunes Radio at all and I'm sick of iTunes opening to radio on all my devices no matter if I keep it running.
 
Ludatyk

Ludatyk

macrumors 603
May 27, 2012
5,356
4,347
Texas
JHankwitz said:
You can easily shove all you unwanted apps into a single folder icon and not have to deal with it ever again. (I think I hear an echo)
Click to expand...

Of course, I am aware of that. But still it's an unwanted app that I don't care to use.

They are grabbing percentage of users using iTunes Radio from within the Music App why would they make a standalone app for it. Heck, if they go that route what's stopping them from making iMessage a standalone app since they can have a larger percentage of users using that.

I find it better for it being in the App Store and giving users a choice to download it or not, I don't use iTunes Radio at all.
 
cmChimera

cmChimera

macrumors 601
Feb 12, 2010
4,273
3,762
djtech42 said:
But it makes sense to have it in the music app... I don't want yet another icon on my home screen. I like having it in the music app.
Click to expand...

I don't mind it in the music app per se, but it takes one of my precious tabs. I use it just enough to not want to have to move it to "more" but I also want to put "songs" as a tab. Having it as a separate app solves my extremely minor first world problem. So I can dig it.
 
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