Tuning in to iRadio: Why an Apple music streaming service would rock
If you’ve perused the Internet in the last little while, you’re probably aware of the rumors of Apple’s “iRadio” service—a streaming music service that would (if it became real) provide Pandora-like functionality to computers via iTunes, as well as to iOS devices. Such rumors naturally provoke questions: If such a thing existed, how would it differ from Pandora and other streaming services? And given that Pandora and its ilk do exist, what can Apple bring to the party that isn’t already there? Let the conjecture begin.
Radio versus on-demand
Let’s first clarify what kind of service we’re talking about. Currently there are two commercial music streaming models. The first is a Pandora-like service, where you have no choice over the specific tracks you listen to, but rather you create stations based on particular songs, artists, and albums you enjoy. By rating the music streamed to you with a simple thumbs up or thumbs down, you fine-tune the station to the point where everything you hear is, at the very least, tolerable. At best, it’s familiar music you love and unfamiliar music that you’ll cotton to.
Pandora is the service to beat in streaming radio.
The other model is on-demand streaming. This is practiced by such services as MOG, Rdio, Rhapsody, Slacker, Spotify, and Google’s All Access. With these services you can choose specific tracks, albums, artists, and genres to listen to. They also let you create playlists and download tracks to mobile devices. Additionally, each offers a feature similar to Pandora where you can stream stations or channels based on a selection—an artist or genre, for example.
Why radio?
All rumors of Apple’s service have pointed to radio rather than on-demand streaming. And that leads some people to wonder why, when Google has jumped into on-demand listening and Spotify seems to be getting ever-greater attention, Apple would take what appears to be the less interesting path.
To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
http://www.macworld.com/article/2040667/tuning-in-to-iradio-why-an-apple-music-streaming-service-would-rock.html#tk.rss_all
