This year is likely to be another big one for Apple — even if we don’t see that much-anticipated television set. One new product the Cupertino could have up its sleeve is an internet radio service called “iRadio.” It’s reportedly been negotiating the necessary deals with the music labels, and one analyst expects the service to be integrated into iTunes within the next 12 months, competing with the likes of Pandora.
BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield unveiled his media predictions for 2013 this week, and one of them was a new internet radio service from Apple called iRadio.
“Consumer behavior (is) increasingly shifting toward access to a music catalog from ownership of specific songs,” Greenfield wrote. “We expect iRadio to be incorporated into the iTunes iOS app with personalized radio functionality akin to Pandora, integrated with iTunes to purchase music and other music related content such as concert information/tickets/merchandise via Live Nation and Ticketmaster.”
Apple is said to be talking to the labels now in an effort to gain access to their music catalogs.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about iRadio. In fact, several reports about it surfaced last year. In early December, we heard that the service was nowhere near completion, with talks between Apple and the major labels still ongoing. It’s feasible those talks could be wrapped up for a launch this year, though — maybe in time for iOS 7.
As for that Apple television, Greenfield doesn’t expect that to appear this year, noting the venture is still being hampered by content restrictions.
Source: Investors Business Daily
Via: Macworld
