Apple Blocks Bloom.fm iAd Advertising Ahead of U.K. iTunes Radio Launch

[bbeagle]

Not cool, Apple. Not cool.

Coca Cola, Pepsi and Fox are not cool then. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/01/30/banned-super-bowl-sodastream-ad-gets-plenty-of-buzz-online/

Google, Facebook and Twitter are not cool then.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/google-facebook-ban-marijuana_n_4646916.html

All have banned ads.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

LOL, the day has come that people are defending the right to show ads.

So long as Apple is going to run an ad service, they should accept all ads without bias against some simply because they promote the competition to other products you make.

This makes as much sense as Comcast banning Verizon's ads. It makes lots of business sense, but is totally unethical. It reinforces Comcast's monopoly (which it pisses me off that that still exists. Why hasn't anyone blown Comcast to bits the way AT&T was several decades ago when they were the only major telephone provider?)

What's stopping Apple from banning the Spotify and Pandora apps? I'll jump ship for Linux and Android if they ever do, as much as I dislike both.

 

[Rogifan]

I know some have questioned the legality. I think more people are commenting that it seems like a stupid/silly/anti-competitive decision.

Since we apparently only know the what and not the why I think it's silly to even be discussing this, other than MR needs the page views.

 

[akbarali.ch]

Legal, maybe, but bad move from Apple. i didn't like it.

 

[576316]

Good that this service is finally coming to the UK, it's long overdue.

I'm not sure iTunes Radio is of interest to me, I'd rather buy all my music from iTunes individually - as I already do.

 

[samcraig]

Coca Cola, Pepsi and Fox are not cool then. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/01/30/banned-super-bowl-sodastream-ad-gets-plenty-of-buzz-online/

Google, Facebook and Twitter are not cool then.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/22/google-facebook-ban-marijuana_n_4646916.html

All have banned ads.

None of those situations are the same. But I give you credit for at least trying to prove your point with data.

 

[bbeagle]

None of those situations are the same. But I give you credit for at least trying to prove your point with data.

Coca Cola and Pepsi directly compete with Soda Stream. How is this not the same?

 

[samcraig]

Coca Cola and Pepsi directly compete with Soda Stream. How is this not the same?

You cannot draw a parallel between an ad that was bought that mentioned competition with the scenario of Apple allegedly not allowing a company to buy an ad on their network

I can't be clearer.

 

[Mac-Mac-McAfee]

If it's legal, then why isn't Google banning Apple/iPhone queries from his Search Engine? :>

$$$$$$$

Same reason Google will just change the algorithms out of nowhere just so they can charge more for SEO and SEM and leave their customers flapping in the wind. Screw Bloom.fm

 

[samcraig]

$$$$$$$

Same reason Google will just change the algorithms out of nowhere just so they can charge more for SEO and SEM and leave their customers flapping in the wind. Screw Bloom.fm

Actually - many of Google's changes in search are because companies learn how to game the system. If search algorithms never changed, their engine would become useless and spam riddled.

 

[Gasu E.]

If it's legal, then why isn't Google banning Apple/iPhone queries from his Search Engine? :>

You mean, why isn't Google making the worst business decision ever?

 

[Dave.UK]

If it's legal, then why isn't Google banning Apple/iPhone queries from his Search Engine? :>

Maybe because Google isnt as bitter and anti-competitive as Apple?

 

[Gasu E.]

Coca Cola, Pepsi and Fox are not cool then. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/01/30/banned-super-bowl-sodastream-ad-gets-plenty-of-buzz-online/

You actually thought Coke, Pepsi or Fox were cool?

 

[thasan]

Given that they subscribe to a service that presents ads based on content on the website - that would be challenging...

unfortunately yes...i know..

 

[samcraig]

You actually thought Coke, Pepsi or Fox were cool?

I was at a deli today and when I reached for by bottled water, I noticed that both the coke and the pepsi in there were quite cool.

FOX.....

 

[uknowimright]

FOX.....

they have that one channel that's pretty cold hearted, something about news

 

[Chad-VI]

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


London-based streaming-music service Bloom.fm says it has been blocked from advertising on Apple's iAd network because it is a threat to the Cupertino company's iTunes radio, reports CNET. Similar to iTunes Radio, Bloom.fm offers genre and artist-based streaming radio stations with a library of over 22 million tracks. Apple may be blocking Bloom.fm as it prepares to launch its iTunes Radio service in the U.K. The service debuted in the U.S. alongside the release of iOS 7 last fall and was recently extended to Australia. It is expected to debut in the U.K. sometime in early 2014.

Image​

Over the past several months, some iPhone owners in the U.K. have reported intermittent connections to the iTunes Radio service, suggesting Apple is in the final stages of preparing the product for an imminent launch. Bringing iTunes Radio to countries worldwide is a top priority for Apple, says senior vice president of Internet software and services Eddy Cue, who confirmed the company plans to offer the service "in more than 100 countries."

Article Link: Apple Blocks Bloom.fm iAd Advertising Ahead of U.K. iTunes Radio Launch

Why don't you make an article about the recently leaked iPhone 6 case posted on Nowhereelse.fr ?

 

[SeaFox]

I do wish all the people who claim MacRumors is full of biased Apple fanatics would read threads like this. This really is nothing but an unsubstantiated rumor based on a tweet by an Apple competitor and everyone has jumped in assuming it's true, and wondering if it might even be criminal

That's because MacRumors is posting it as a news item, implying it is fact. It doesn't seek any comment from Apple on the matter or offer any further independent evidence to support the claim one way of the other. The article states that Bloom says they have been blocked on Apple's network, but then goes on to postulate as why Apple has blocked them.

If people are looking into this too seriously, maybe you should consider how the information is being presented, and their motives behind presenting it this way.

Edit: Frankly, it's Apple's Ad Network and they are free to run it as they wish, as someone earlier said. If they want to be blatantly anti-competitive and emulate Microsoft, they are free to. Apple fans should accept the fact their little darling company isn't all white-knight as they like to think. And Apple-haters should learn to accept wild claims by other companies more skeptically. Many companies today make stupid statements just so they can get their name connected to Apple, or Apple's products in some way. Because they know that some online publications *ahem* will give them a story on their site simply for doing so.

 

[pgiguere1]

Without any proof this sounds like a bit of free advertising for a company no one has ever heard of.

My thoughts exactly. That kind of story happened multiple times before.

Remember when Apple was called homophobic for supposedly banning a comics app including gay sex scenes? Apple actually didn't ban anything, and the comics app got free publicity on all tech blogs.

https://twitter.com/GreatDismal/statuses/321720044960751616
http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/9/42...ghan-saga-from-comixology-over-sexual-content

 

[samcraig]

My thoughts exactly. That kind of story happened multiple times before.

One example: http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/9/42...ghan-saga-from-comixology-over-sexual-content

But a company that no one has heard of?

There's a difference between one artist (who I still think people know of) and a company with over 1M subscribers...

Just because it's not popular where you are doesn't mean it's not well known in the UK.

 

[gnasher729]

Not according to Bloom.fm.

Which is of course a completely unbiased source.

 

[samcraig]

Of course it's a hyperbole. "Nobody knows" / "Nobody has heard of" are always used as hyperboles. But what does it have to do with my point? Why did you quote my comment if you wanted to correct other people? I didn't use that hyperbole myself. I was trying to read between the lines of your comment because I failed to see how it had anything to do with anything I've said. Apparently you meant to quote somebody else.

Because you agreed with the comment "My thoughts exactly. That kind of story happened multiple times before." when someone wrote "Without any proof this sounds like a bit of free advertising for a company no one has ever heard of."

Clearly you can understand why I responded to you now...

 

[gnasher729]

Given that they subscribe to a service that presents ads based on content on the website - that would be challenging...

Well, it's not just based on the content on the website. A while ago I tried finding out some things about a scam company making some claims that are just a bit too good to be true (and can cost you tens of thousands of pounds if you believe them), and then got followed by their advertisements on MacRumors.

 

[elgrecomac]

Closed ecosystems are....closed ecosystems

Apple has no obligation to allow any individual or company to infringe on their ability to make money. Period. Apple created the ecosystem and Apple controls the ecosystem. So does this move by Apple really surprise anyone?

 

[Ries]

So, Apple used to allow advertisements for Microsoft and IBM on their Macs in the 80s and 90s? I didn't realize that.

I'll make something very clear for you, IT IS NOT APPLE'S MAC, i paid for it! It is MINE.