Twitter and Apple Team Up on Ping Integration

Screenshot of iTunes integration on Twitter.com
Twitter today announced new integration with Apple's "Ping" music-focused social networking service, allowing users to easily share music and convenient previewing and purchasing links.

Starting today Ping, iTunes' new social network for music, and Twitter are making it even easier for people to share music discoveries with their friends by putting Ping activity, song previews and links to purchase and download music from the iTunes Store right in their Tweets on Twitter.com.

The feature allows users to sign into Twitter from Ping, linking their accounts and allowing them to find people they already follow on Twitter who are also on Ping.

Once you've linked the accounts, whenever you Post, Like, Review, or tell your friends why you purchased a song or album on Ping, this activity will also be tweeted to your Twitter followers - complete with playable song previews and links to purchase and download music from iTunes.

Furthermore, those browsing Tweets sent via Ping on Twitter.com can click on the Tweet to see details on the song or album right on the page, complete with song previews in the 23 countries where Apple offers music via the iTunes Store.

Apple and Facebook have reportedly been in discussions about working together in some capacity, despite some early squabbles over Ping's apparently-unauthorized integration with Facebook Connect, a feature that was yanked within hours of Ping's debut in September. The two companies have apparently yet to strike a deal, however, to bring their services together in any form.