New Apple Music Service to Feature Ping-Like Social Features

Latest reports suggest that Apple’s anticipated Beats-based streaming music service will be called “Apple Music” and will feature social networking integration for artists. According to those briefed on feature plans, Apple Music will enable musicians to maintain pages within the service to post content such as photos, videos, sample tracks and concert info. Performers will also be able to cross-promote by sharing content from other artists. Additionally, users will be able to like and comment on the artists’ posts.

apple28The social functionality is similar to that of the iTunes Ping feature, which was discontinued in late 2012, the primary difference being that users will not join artists in having their own social profile pages.

“Artists Activity will be a core feature of the Apple Music streaming service, but users will actually be able to disable it in the Restrictions Settings panel in iOS 8.4,” reports 9to5Mac. “Accidentally leaked in the latest iOS 8.4 beta for developers, the Restrictions menu has an ‘Artist Activity’ switch, which sources say corresponds directly to the aforementioned Ping-like functionality. The network will be available across the iOS, Android, and Mac versions of Apple Music.”

The service is expected to cost $7.99 per month. Offering a version for Android phones will mark a first for Apple. The iTunes Match and iTunes Radio services will continue, despite some overlapping functionality with the paid Apple Music service. Users will be able to transfer their existing Beats Music cloud libraries to the new service.

Apple Music will likely be formally introduced during June’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco. We should also expect announcements regarding iOS, OS X and Apple TV.

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