iTunes Store to Move to Web, Gain Increased Social Features?

[MacRumors]

All Things Digital reports that any updates to Apple's iTunes Store set to debut at next Wednesday's media event may be likely to revolve more around creating a social, Web-based environment than a true cloud-based service.

Apple plays its cards close to the vest even with the music labels it works with, so the people I've talked to are making informed guesses. That said, music sources tell me they're expecting a lightweight, Web-based version of the iTunes store. The new version would be designed to sync up easily with the rest of the Internet and make it much easier for customers to share their musical tastes (but not songs) with friends.

A true Web-based iTunes experience would expand upon the iTunes Preview feature launched by Apple late last year that allows users to browse and listen to samples from the iTunes Store music library directly in their browser, requiring the iTunes application only if they wish to purchase content.

Apple has reportedly not yet approached music labels about new licensing deals that would presumably be required to launch a true cloud-based streaming service, although the company could attempt to try its luck at launching such a service without the consent of the labels, hoping to argue that such functionality is covered by existing deals and hammering out the details later.

Alternatively, Apple could deploy a system for wireless syncing of content among devices that would remain within the bounds of current licensing contracts but simplify the process users must currently use to make sure desired content gets moved onto each of their authorized computers and devices.

Article Link: iTunes Store to Move to Web, Gain Increased Social Features?

 

[talkingfuture]

Could be interesting. Would be good if it could download and put it in your iTunes library without opening iTunes unless you specify that you want to play or watch immediately.

 

[wjdennen]

Wait, I thought the web was dead?

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/ff_webrip/all/1

 

[Kenrik]

Hmm... I think they are heading in the direction of pandora but where you own the songs.

You buy them and can stream them anywhere at any time.

too bad it's still a few years off.

 

[Fantasy Guy]

Hmm... I think they are heading in the direction of pandora but where you own the songs.

You buy them and can stream them anywhere at any time.

too bad it's still a few years off.

That sounds like an awful idea. What about when I'm somewhere with no signal and want to listen to my music? What's wrong with storing things locally?

 

[cdarlington1]

I thought...

That sounds like an awful idea. What about when I'm somewhere with no signal and want to listen to my music? What's wrong with storing things locally?

...the idea was that the music would be stored locally and in the cloud...but who knows what they have up their sleeve...

 

[NickK1066]

Snowboarding up in the alps... on a flight ... on a cruise in the ocean.. you'll have no data connection (or a hideous priced one).

I made a comment about this a while ago. Communications aren't mature enough to provide anywhere streaming.

 

[shartypants]

Should be an interesting media event...

 

[cvaldes]

Wait, I thought the web was dead?

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/ff_webrip/all/1

Wired is tired.

They haven't accurately reported on technology since the mid-Nineties. You're wasting your time reading Wired.

 

[Small White Car]

That sounds like an awful idea. What about when I'm somewhere with no signal and want to listen to my music? What's wrong with storing things locally?

What makes you think that by adding a 'streaming' option they'd remove the 'store locally' option of iPods?

 

[Dr Kevorkian94]

I have that album on iTunes already! Lol but as I see it this will be a Hell of an event

 

[shingi70]

hopefully if this happens all acconts and thier music will be sent to the cloud. MY PC is still in the shop and it might need a hardrive wipe. I have most of my music on my ipod so i can transfer that back. But i have 2 ablums and a couple of songs that i bought but didn't get on my ipod and i don't want to lose that.

 

[Alfuh]

"think social" ... "Facebook integration"

Great so now I'll not only be spammed with "so and so is pulling off a heist" and "so and so is raising a barn and needs help", but I'll see all the songs everyone is listening to...

 

[sammich]

What makes you think that by adding a 'streaming' option they'd remove the 'store locally' option of iPods?

Maybe people just assume that FUD is on it's way.

Anyway, I've got much bigger monthly download limit on my new plan, so BRING IT ON!

The thing is that, would this cloud system ultimately mean that people will gravitate towards lower capacity iDevices, lowering Apple's average selling price?

 

[sishaw]

Hmm... I think they are heading in the direction of pandora but where you own the songs.

You buy them and can stream them anywhere at any time.

too bad it's still a few years off.

Actually, isn't that the opposite of what the article says? That this will NOT be about streaming, but some sort of social networking feature? I'm at work so I can only skim this stuff, but that's what it looks like to me.

 

[devburke]

I read this as the store part of iTunes would mostly be moved out of the app to the web. This, depending on how exactly it’s done, could potentially do a lot to slim down iTunes and make it much more lightweight again. I’d be happy with it!

 

[MrCrowbar]

Dear Apple,

please remove the iTunes store out of the iTunes application. Every time I accidentally click on it, it just locks the whole app for a minute. The iTunes store is also a pain to navigate because I can't enter links, search for text, etc.

Thanks.

 

[NebulaClash]

As usual, a rumor is floated and people start jumping to negative conclusions. Don't you think Apple would have thought about what happens if you have no Net connection? Is this really news to them?

If there is a Web- or cloud-based future for iTunes, you can be sure you will still have the option to store everything locally too. The iPod line gives you choice. Apple won't change that.

 

[kurosov]

Heres to hoping for strong Last.fm integration. especially for iPhone.

 

[Xeronimo74]

Where's the problem with a cloud iTunes??

Apple would simply give us hard disk space in the cloud where we could copy our (already bought) music to which we then could access from whatever device we have.

Why would there be a licensing problem there? We're simply using the files we already own?? Or what am I missing?

 

[Salacion]

Wired is tired.

They haven't accurately reported on technology since the mid-Nineties. You're wasting your time reading Wired.

Perhaps instead, you recommend Cosmopolitan?

 

[GQB]

whoop te doo.
Just what we need. More social media.

 

[adztaylor]

I'd much prefer to have my music stored locally. I must be old fashioned that way then.

 

[Xeronimo74]

I'd much prefer to have my music stored locally. I must be old fashioned that way then.

You could still have a local copy of your files in addition to the cloud. Think of the cloud as a kind of online backup that allows you to access your files from wherever.

 

[Small White Car]

I honestly think they need to rip the iPhone out of iTunes.

They should come out with a program called "iOS Hub" or something. It'll look just like the iPhone sync screen in iTunes. It'll deal with apps, ringtones, iPhones, iPods, iPads, and Apple TV.

THAT program will talk with iTunes to get music and movies, but at that point iTunes and iPhoto are equal. They're media programs that provide media to the iOS syncing program.

"iOS Hub" would contain the app store and iTunes would keep the music, TV, and movies store.