Apple is working on a new Beats-based paid music streaming service that will be deeply integrated into iTunes on Mac and the stock Music app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, according to 9to5Mac. The report claims that the Apple-designed streaming service will also be available for Android and through a new Apple TV app in the works.
"Based heavily upon cloud streaming, Apple’s new service is centered around the user’s music library. A new search feature will be able to locate any song in the iTunes/Beats catalog, and users will be able to stream music from the catalog as well as add songs to their personal libraries. Users will be able to select specific tracks to store on their iOS devices and/or computers, or keep all songs solely in the cloud. Apple will also deeply integrate Beats Music’s Playlists, Activities, and Mixes features into the new service, letting users access a vast array of pre-made, human-curated playlists to fit various activities."
The report adds that Beats Music users will be able to merge their existing account with an iTunes/Apple ID account for seamless transition to the new service. The app's design will shift away from the traditional red and black branding of Beats and feature a user interface that resembles the look and feel of iTunes and the stock Music app on iOS. New social features will also be included for sharing music and playlists with friends.
Apple's new subscription-based service is expected to cost $7.99 per month, cheaper than the $9.99 per month charged by Beats Music and competing services such as Spotify, Rdio and Google Play Music. While the new Beats service will inevitably have some overlap with iTunes Radio, iTunes Match and the iTunes Store, the report claims that Apple will retain all three offerings.
While Beats Music is available for Android, this new service will mark the first time that Apple develops an Android app in house. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously expressed that he does not have an issue developing an app for Android if the circumstances make sense, but this will be the first time the company actually delivers on that idea. Unlike Beats Music, however, no Windows Phone app will be offered.
Due to some personnel changes and other difficulties in the collaboration between Apple and Beats, which the iPhone maker acquired last year for $3 billion, the timeline for this new streaming service project remains in jeopardy. The report claims that while Apple originally planned to launch the service in March, sources claim that the company is now more likely to launch the service at WWDC in June.
Top Rated Comments
It clearly says it isn't. Read the freakin article before trying to be the "first!" commenter.
MGT: "Add another big bloat, er block of functionality in the form of streaming audio"
CODER: "But we already have iTunes Radio"
MGT: "Yes, keep that... but also weave in this paid version of streaming music too. Customers have spoken and they want to pay for iTunes integrated streaming music AND have free streaming music in the SAME application"
CODER: "What customers want that?"
MGT: "Customers!"
CODER (to other coders after MGT departs the room): "I wonder if those are the same 'customers' that wanted Ping?" Another Coder: "Or want to do away with playlists?" Another Coder: "Or the U2 album pushed into their music collection?"
MGT (to other managers after getting back to the executive mtg room): "We'll roll out a free trial and motivate the masses to upgrade iTunes and iOS player because they must for ongoing iDevice & Mac compatibility. Shortly thereafter we can spin how we have more than 100M users on our new streaming music service."
Other MGT: "Genius!"
Soon after the rollout...
Apple fans in full techgasms: "best streaming service ever!", "shut up and take my money"
Others: "but Spotify", "but Pandora"
Apple fans: "Spotify/Pandora is a joke", "...an abomination", "...I never liked either of them" (so YOU shouldn't either), "hundreds of millions of iDevice and Mac users have voted that Beats is best", (a conjured statistic like) "99.9% will find Beats to be all they ever need in a streaming service"
Others: "but <either> does this better"
Apple fans: "troll", "if you like those so much, why are you here?" and again: "hundreds of millions of iDevice and Mac users have voted that Beats is best" and "99.9%..."
Did I miss anything? ;)
And yet we still can't merge two Apple IDs.
Otherwise excited about this. Beats just isn't doing it for me largely in part to the poor desktop version of the player. If merged into an actual application (even if it is iTunes) I'll almost certainly be switching from Spotify.
Last March you said iTunes Radio would only need 12 months to beat them. ;)
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=18868663
Perhaps they can pull their fingers out and release this attempt at streaming in more than two countries, otherwise it will never be a "world leader". :rolleyes: