More Details on iTunes 9's Social Media Integration? [Updated]

Tuesday August 11, 2009 6:13 am PDT by Eric Slivka

Boy Genius Report provides additional information on the rumored updates to iTunes 9 initially reported over the weekend, which included the addition of Blu-ray support and the ability to organize iPhone applications, as well as some form of social networking integration.

The same source who provided the initial information gave additional details on the social networking integration, describing that it "seems to be part of a bigger social networking push by Apple" and that the application would be a separate application from iTunes, merging multiple social networking services into a single interface. This social networking application would allow users to share music and update their status on multiple networks at once.

- The social networking integration that we reported iTunes 9 would have seems to be part of a bigger social networking push by Apple. We've been informed that Apple has plans to tie iTunes 9 into a "Social" application that they plan to release in the future. It was said that the application (separate from iTunes) will be similar to Yahoo's OneConnect offering and consolidate all your social networking services. (iPhone application? Desktop app? Wasn't clarified to us).

- The application will allow you to broadcast what music you're currently listening to, allow you to share your music with people on your network, connect with your friend's friends (no clue on that one), and update all of your statuses at the same time. ITunes 9 will let you broadcast music statuses as well.

Regarding iPhone application organization, multiple options will reportedly be available to let users sort applications "alphabetically, by genre, date added, and of course, custom arrangement."

Update: Tobias Bischoff claims [Google translation] to have grabbed several iTunes 9 screenshots from the forums at Chinese site WeiPhone. While the authenticity of the screenshots is unknown and they do not demonstrate the functionality of the new features, they are included here for discussion.