A new report today says Apple’s upcoming streaming music service will likely be named “Apple Music,” and will include social networking features for artists.
9to5Mac reports its sources say the new Beats-based streaming service will allow artists to have their own pages on the service where they can post samples of tracks, photos, videos, and other information for their fans. Artists will also have the ability to share content from other artists, to allow cross-promotion.
Logged in via their iTunes accounts, all users of the streaming service will be allowed to comment on posts from the artists, but won’t have their own social network profile as they did under Apple’s late unlamented iTunes Ping service.
While Artists Activity will be a major feature of “Apple Music,” users will still be allowed to disable it if they wish, via the Restrictions menu in iOS 8.4. (Seen above.) The menu was accidentally leaked in the most recent iOS 8.4 beta for developers. The menu includes an “Artist Activity” switch which 9to5Mac’s sources indicate is connected to the Ping-like functionality in the service.
The report’s sources also indicate that the service will be deeply integrated with the redesigned Music app in iOS 8.4, and that users will be able to port over their existing Beats Music cloud libraries.
iTunes Match and iTunes Radio will still be in the mix, with Radio’s overhaul including improved mixes and an international rollout.
Apple is expected to debut “Apple Music” alongside iOS 8.4, iOS 9, OS X 10.11, and possibly a new Apple TV at their upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference. The conference’s keynote event is set for Monday, June 8th.
