Apple 'wanted to stuff Twitter with dollars' to fill iTunes with twits

Apple wanted to integrate Twitter into iTunes, according some people "familiar" with negotiations between the two companies.

The immediate fruit of talks between the pair last year was the native Twitter app for iPhones and iPads. But Apple also wanted to go a step further, the Wall Street Journal reports, and offered to plough money into Twitter to integrate the social network into iTunes.

Presumably tweet-integration would add a messaging element to Apple's entertainment and shopping app, encouraging fanbois to stay longer and spend more. Cupertino's abortive attempt at a social network was based in iTunes too: the ill-fated Ping.

It is unusual for Apple to partner up on an integral service, but social networking is an area they do need some help with.

Apparently, Apple's offer of investment was batted away: Twitter isn't doing badly for investor funding, but the iTunes idea is said to be still under discussion and a fruity cash injection remains a possibility. Apple and Twitter told The Reg they are not commenting on the rumours.

The relationship between Apple and Facebook was particularly frosty mid-2011: Facebook withheld its iPad app to gain some leverage with the iPhone maker, but it has since warmed to the tech titan and iOS 6 bringing deeper integration. ®