Apple set to unveil iRadio music streaming service

Apple is to unveil its own music streaming service following a series of deals with major music groups.

A deal with Sony Music means the iPhone maker now has arrangements with three groups in place, clearing the way for it to make a major announcement on Monday.

The agreement will set Apple’s much-hyped “iRadio” service, also featuring music from Universal Music and Warner Music, in competition with existing services such as Spotify and Pandora.

iRadio is expected to be an extension of iTunes and will be a free service, backed by advertising, that streams music according to the listener’s preferences, based on their existing library.

Apple’s music service would take information about users’ existing iTunes libraries to predict what other music they might like, and labels hope it will also encourage people to pay for additional downloads.

Sony had reportedly been resistant to committing to the streaming service and it had not been certain the label would sign up to iRadio in time for next week’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, where Apple is expected to unveil the platform. Anticipation surrounding the service has been building since last year. Google launched its own music subscription service “All Access” last month.
SOURCE : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/10107040/Apple-set-to-unveil-iRadio-music-streaming-service.html