Hints of 'iTunes Live Stream' Service Found in iTunes 10.1
Speculation and rumors regarding tomorrow's iTunes-related announcement are continuing to come in from all directions, and the latest bit of speculation relies on some bits of information pulled out of the iTunes 10.1 release from last Friday to suggest that Apple might be looking to launch some kind of "iTunes Live Stream" service. Details on what exactly the service might be, however, remain sketchy.
The Apple Lounge reports [
Google translation] that translation entries in a property list file included with iTunes 10.1 contain references to an "iTunes Live Stream URL" that appears to be a type of file or service that could be handled by iTunes. This reference is new in iTunes 10.1.
Meanwhile, as noted in a series of Tweets from
@dustinrue, other
references to "iTunes Live Stream URL" in iTunes 10.1 files suggest the ability to handle "itls" as a
URI scheme in much the same way that iTunes uses "itms" to handle requests to connect to the iTunes Store.
As noted, however, it is unclear what iTunes Live Stream actually is, with speculation ranging from live streaming of existing television content to something more along the lines of user-generated streams of live video or audio content.
Apple has been testing some aspects of live video streaming in recent months, rolling out its own HTTP Live Streaming technology based on open standards to deliver live video of its September and October media events. And with the company's new data center in North Carolina set to open by the end of the year, the company would seem to have ample backend capacity for such technology to be deployed on a broader scale.
The speculation remains, however, merely guesses about whether the new hints included in iTunes 10.1 are related to Apple's announcement tomorrow and what exactly those hints might mean.
Update: It appears that the localization translation evidence may have been first published by Consomac.
Popular Stories
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the "ultra-thin" device.
Overall, the "iPhone 17 Air" is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Due to its thinness, the device is expected to have some limited specifications compared to the iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, only a single speaker, no SIM...
Apple today adjusted estimated trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models in the U.S., according to its website.
Some values increased, while others decreased. The changes were not too significant, with most values rising or dropping by $5 to $50.
We have outlined some examples below:
Device
New Value
Old Value
iPhone 15 Pro Max
Up to $630
U ...
Apple provided the third beta of iOS 18.3 to developers today, and while the betas have so far been light on new features, the third beta makes some major changes to Notification Summaries and also tweaks a few other features.
Notification Summary Changes
Apple made multiple changes to Notification Summaries in response to complaints about inaccurate summaries of news headlines.
For...
Apple today released new firmware designed for the 25W MagSafe Charger that is compatible with the iPhone 12 and later and the latest AirPods and Apple Watch models. The updated firmware is version 2A143, up from the 2A138 firmware that the accessory shipped with. In the Settings app, you'll see a different version number than the internal firmware number.
The 2024 MagSafe charger was...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025:
More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
There is a good chance that Apple's first product announcement of 2025 will be updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M4 chip.
Last month, Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.2, and in doing so it accidentally confirmed new MacBook Air models are coming this year (unsurprisingly).
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the new MacBook Air models will be announced "earlier" than some...
iOS 18.3 is currently in beta for developers and public beta testers. So far, the upcoming iPhone software update is very minor in scope.
Below, we outline what is new in iOS 18.3 so far.
The only potential new feature coming to iPhones with iOS 18.3 so far is robot vacuum support in the Home app, but this functionality is not yet live. Apple is laying the groundwork for the feature,...
Apple is in talks with Barclays and Synchrony about becoming its new financial partner for the Apple Card, according to Reuters sources.
The report today added that Apple has also been holding discussions with Chase Bank owner JPMorgan since last year, so there are at least three potential companies in the running to take over the Apple Card from current partner Goldman Sachs.
Goldman...
In September, Apple said that it would be launching Powerbeats Pro 2 in 2025, and now further evidence of the wireless earbuds has surfaced.
Powerbeats Pro 2 images found in iOS 18 code
Apple submitted Powerbeats Pro 2 regulatory documents to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in mid-December. The documents were made available to the public this week, and they were spotted by 91M...