Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple's Upcoming Streaming Music Service to Incorporate Social Networking Tools for Artists

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,547
30,864



Apple's upcoming streaming music service may be called simply "Apple Music" and it may also include social networking tools for artists, according to a new report from 9to5Mac that cites industry sources with knowledge of Apple's plans.

Likened to Apple's now-defunct Ping social networking system that let users follow artists and friends to see posts and music recommendations, Apple's new music service is said to let artists have landing pages within the music service to share "track samples, photos, videos, and concert updates."

itunespingscreenshot.jpg
A profile from iTunes Ping​

Hints of the new feature were found within the latest iOS 8.4 beta, released yesterday. In the Settings app, under General --> Restrictions, there's a new section called "Artist Activity," said to be correlated to the upcoming social networking features. Presumably, parents will be able to toggle this on or off to enable or disable restrictions on content updates from artists.

artistsactivityios84.jpg

Users will reportedly be able to follow artists and comment on artist pages via iTunes accounts, but social networking profiles will not be available to general users. Artists will also have tools for cross-promotion.
Artists will also be able to share the content of other artists in an effort of cross-promotion. For example, all-gold Apple Watch wearer Kanye West could promote a new album from Taylor Swift on his "Apple Music" artist page, if he so chooses...

Using iTunes accounts, all users of the streaming music service will be able to comment on and like these posts from big name artists, but users won't have their own social network profiles like with Ping.
Click to expand...
Rumors of an integrated social network for artists line up with previous rumors highlighting Apple's efforts to make some streaming music content available for free. A report from Re/code last week suggested that in addition to free trials, Apple would offer a SoundCloud-like sharing experience. It's possible that clips and videos uploaded by artists on their social networking pages will be available for free to all users, rather than limited to subscribers.

Apple plans to charge $9.99 per month for its streaming music service and it will not offer a freemium tier like other music services. Built on the existing Beats music service, Apple's rebranded and revamped streaming music service will continue to focus on curated content. To draw in additional customers and to distinguish itself from competing services, Apple is planning to offer a range of exclusive content from artists, which it could do in part through the aforementioned social networking tools.

Apple is still working to complete deals ahead of the launch of the new streaming music service, but it is on track to debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Article Link: Apple's Upcoming Streaming Music Service to Incorporate Social Networking Tools for Artists
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2015/05/13/apple-streaming-music-service-social-network/
Ludatyk

Ludatyk

macrumors 603
May 27, 2012
5,366
4,355
Texas
I just hope they don't get rid of iTunes Match with this new upcoming music subscription on the way. I have tons of music stored in the Match service.
 
J

James Manesh

macrumors member
Dec 17, 2014
47
3
If this service is superior to these other streaming services (which it probably will be for Apple users), I'm in.

Spotify is mediocre at best and has benefited greatly from a lack of competition thus far. Terrible UX, annoying teenage demographic ads every 15 minutes, etc.
 
Eso

Eso

macrumors 68020
Aug 14, 2008
2,032
937
What makes them Ping is going to work this time around?
 
M

Macrimonious

macrumors member
Jul 18, 2008
52
0
Why not buy Spotify?

I'm a Spotify Premium subscriber and I think it's a great product. It's the most popular, most successful streaming music service. Why not use some of those billions to acquire the biggest player in the space, bake it into iOS / OSX, and be done with it? Am I missing something?
 
seatton

seatton

macrumors 6502a
Nov 7, 2013
789
1,219
Seattle, WA
To be more successful than Ping, they should install Ping 2.0 app on Apple watch as well (in the way that users cannot delete the app, just like Apple Watch app on iPhone). :confused:
 
T

ttss6

macrumors 6502
Mar 28, 2014
333
58
California
If I remember correctly, the only reason why they created Ping was because Steve and Zuckerberg couldn't reach an agreement so Steve sought to make his own social network..
 
J

James Manesh

macrumors member
Dec 17, 2014
47
3
Macrimonious said:
I'm a Spotify Premium subscriber and I think it's a great product. It's the most popular, most successful streaming music service. Why not use some of those billions to acquire the biggest player in the space, bake it into iOS / OSX, and be done with it? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Because you don't just "use some of those billions and be done with it" and think you are going to be successful. Especially on a mediocre service that is currently overpriced.
 
B

bill304

macrumors newbie
Jun 28, 2012
16
0
Macrimonious said:
I'm a Spotify Premium subscriber and I think it's a great product. It's the most popular, most successful streaming music service. Why not use some of those billions to acquire the biggest player in the space, bake it into iOS / OSX, and be done with it? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Yes you are missing the most important thing. Spotify don't want to sell itself. They want to be an individual company and they want to make their own money currently.

So, they don't want to be acquired to bigger company for now.

Now, tell me. Let's say you're super rich and can buy anything. But can you buy a thing that isn't on the market? Can you buy thing that the original owner don't want to sell? I guess not.
 
ksuyen

ksuyen

macrumors 6502a
Jun 26, 2012
772
141
James Manesh said:
If this service is superior to these other streaming services (which it probably will be for Apple users), I'm in.

Spotify is mediocre at best and has benefited greatly from a lack of competition thus far. Terrible UX, annoying teenage demographic ads every 15 minutes, etc.
Click to expand...

I can't stand Spotify either, I switched from Subs to Non-Subs after 6 months. Right now I am not using any paid or ad-based streaming music, though I do like Apple Radio, I find it's still lackluster. :D

Hope the new Beats+Apple stream is good, better yet if they offer it free/bundled if you already have paid Match. :D

Edit:As for the reinvented Ping (or Ping 2.0) - I could see it will work now. There are more idevice users, streaming music is getting bigger, artists want more exposures, and Ping is the perfect solution.
 
2

2010mini

macrumors 601
Jun 19, 2013
4,698
4,806
Great idea.

It has always perplexed me why no one thought of allowing you to find out all about an artist without having to leave iTunes. I would love, while browsing a particular artist, to find out if they are touring in my area. And buy tickets to their concert WITHOUT leaving iTunes.

It would also be great if that artist had sheet music or song books to an album, I could purchase it right then and there.

Right now if i want any of that info, I will have to get it elsewhere.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom