Apple Targeting First Quarter 2013 Launch for Online Music Service

[MacRumors]

Bloomberg reports that Apple appears to hoping to wrap up deals for an online music service in the next few weeks, targeting a launch for the first quarter of next year.

Apple Inc. and major music labels have intensified negotiations to start an advertising-supported Internet radio service by early next year, according to people with knowledge of the talks.

Talks are centered in part around how to share ad revenue and a deal could be reached by mid-November, with Apple starting a service within the first three months of 2013, said the people, who asked not to be named because discussions are still in progress.

The report says that executives from Vivendi, Universal, Warner, and Sony have all visited Apple's headquarters in recent weeks to learn more about Apple's plans.

Advertising is said to be a central issue in the negotiations, with Apple seeing the service as a way to strengthen its iAd offerings while music labels are seeking a share of that ad revenue and the ability to insert their own advertising into listeners' streams.

Rumors of a potential streaming music service from Apple have been circulating for quite some time, but gained significant steam last month when The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times filed reports outlining Apple's plans to compete with Pandora and other similar services. But unlike those services, which operate under compulsory licenses that restrict users' abilities to skip tracks the frequency with which tracks can be played, Apple is seeking to strike its own licenses with music labels that would permit more flexible usage.

Article Link: Apple Targeting First Quarter 2013 Launch for Online Music Service

[Steviejobz]

They must have really liked that SNL skit

[TsMkLg068426]

So where is iTunes 11?

[gorskiegangsta]

"Advertising-supported"? Hmm, will see how user-friendly and unobtrusive they'll be able to make those.

[Reaktor5]

I wonder if the record labels have been holding Apple back from doing this or themselves in profiting more by people buying the albums. Maybe iTunes match was a test to prove to the labels that streaming can be profitable.

[DarkWinter]

Ad-supported radio? Really? With the network's data limits and charges?

I just want a Spotify-like service, though let's face it, that's some years off (if ever).

[Reaktor5]

Originally Posted by gorskiegangsta

"Advertising-supported"? Hmm, will see how unobtrusive they'll be able to make them.

Spotify makes advertising work quite well. I really don't mind a 30 second spot every so often if I can actively choose what I want to listen to. With Apple's catalog of music it would be even more enticing.

[Unspeaked]

In related news, Pandora's stock tanked so quickly it triggered stock exchange circuit breakers and had to halt trading.

It won't be a pretty day for Pandora shareholders tomorrow...

[KylePowers]

I know it'll never happen, but adopting a Spotify business model would be awesome.

[dethmaShine]

BULL ****.

I can't believe Apple is going to push ads while listening to music like Pandora. (Pandora is great).

This is just not the Apple we know. Apple doesn't give two ***** about iAd or its offerings. It's probably going to $4.99 or $9.99 per month and that's about it. More like spotify in my opinion.

[sampaul]

At this moment, my only worry is where is iTunes 11?

[musio]

Itunes 11 where?

[basesloaded190]

Originally Posted by KylePowers

I know it'll never happen, but adopting a Spotify business model would be awesome.

A Spotify alternative would be a much better idea than a Pandora alternative.

[ChrisCW11]

Music is cheap, I don't need yet another music subscription service considering there are plenty of "legit" ways to get free music, stemming back to the good old radio. If you can just let go of the need to "control" music, I rather enjoy listening to randomly offered music from radio and internet streaming, it exposes me to more content than always picking the stuff I already listen to, I have an iPod for that.

I'd rather like to see Apple offer their own subscription services for TV shows and bypass cable monopolies.

[iMikeT]

Sign me up for an all you can eat iTunes music subscription!

[foobarbaz]

October isn't over. You know Apple release dates. You always have to add "the last day of..." summer, fall, October

[gforce216]

I don't want a service like Pandora.

Give me a service like Rdio/Spotify for $10/month and I will drop Rdio in a second.

[bryanescuela]

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[needfx]

apple's pursuit of worldwide content distribution is stronger than ever. it cannot be dismissed as a probability since they have the tube all set up & ready. more income, more engaged users, more happy labels & artists joining the club

[Sky Blue]

Originally Posted by sampaul

At this moment, my only worry is where is iTunes 11?

first world problems.

[Reaktor5]

Originally Posted by foobarbaz

October isn't over. You know Apple release dates. You always have to add "the last day of..." summer, fall, October

A lovely orange and black halloween themed iTunes.

[krisarmstrong]

So where is iTunes 11? I suspect we will see it this Friday as that is when the new iPads ship and Apples website does say iTunes 11 to launch in October.

[skitzogreg]

This is actually really bad news, not for the launch of a streaming service, but for iTunes 11. Earlier, someone posted about how iTunes was pushed back to February based on a number of tweets. Immediately, the MR community shunned that thought as a troll post, but now I'm concerned. Look. I'm an hour off from probably being wrong. iTunes 11 could launch today, but, if it does not (or no announcement is made), I would be convinced of a Feb. launch for the service.

A lot of you have the thought process of, "why do you care"? Look, let's be real. OSX hasn't had any real changes since indexing with Spotlight in Leopard. Some nice eye candy here or there, but do you use it all? Probably not. iTunes on the other hand is probably used MORE than Safari. So, when it gets an overhaul, it's important to a lot of users. Having it pushed back will add fuel to the fire that the direction Apple is taking is due to poor leadership (e.g. releasing the MBPr before Haswell).

[foxcub6]

That's my thought Where is the ITunes 11 do you think they've forgotten due to them trying to justify the price of there iPad mini

[Reaktor5]

Originally Posted by skitzogreg

This is actually really bad news, not for the launch of a streaming service, but for iTunes 11. Earlier, someone posted about how iTunes was pushed back to February based on a number of tweets. Immediately, the MR community shunned that thought as a troll post, but now I'm concerned. Look. I'm an hour off from probably being wrong. iTunes 11 could launch today, but, if it does not (or no announcement is made), I would be convinced of a Feb. launch for the service.

A lot of you have the thought process of, "why do you care"? Look, let's be real. OSX hasn't had any real changes since indexing with Spotlight in Leopard. Some nice eye candy here or there, but do you use it all? Probably not. iTunes on the other hand is probably used MORE than Safari. So, when it gets an overhaul, it's important to a lot of users. Having it pushed back will add fuel to the fire that the direction Apple is taking is due to poor leadership (e.g. releasing the MBPr before Haswell).

Go search Twitter for iTunes 11 February. Nothing. Zip. You got trolled.

If they did push it back, do you think the 'Coming in October' banner would still be up on the teaser page?