Apple Considering Standalone iTunes Radio App for iOS 8

[MacRumors]

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.

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.

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

 

[sputnikv]

oh that would be lovely

 

[djtech42]

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.

 

[rctlr]

I think it needs to be in more countries before that happens.

 

[rosalindavenue]

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]

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

 

[Chatter]

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.

 

[JHankwitz]

I would hope they make it a separate App on both the Mac and iOS devices.

 

[gadgetguy03]

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.

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.

 

[Shayanftw]

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.

 

[JHankwitz]

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.

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

 

[atmc]

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.

 

[dannyyankou]

I care more about unlimited skips and scrubbing backwards/forwards for iTunes Match subscribers. Also, I'd like to be able to shuffle stations.

 

[Bearxor]

The amount of "bloatware" Apple has been adding to their devices out of the box is starting to become... bothersome.

 

[mdridwan47]

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]

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,

 

[jmcrutch]

It's already a separate App on AppleTV so doing this in iOS would bring consistency

 

[Ludatyk]

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.

 

[Chatter]

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

Yup, have it like that now along with many other Apple Apps. Just wish I could delete them but its not a huge deal either way.

 

[efktd]

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.

 

[JHankwitz]

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.

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]

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]

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]

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)

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]

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.

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.