Skip to main content

Apple begins global roll out of iTunes Radio, starts with Australia

apple begins global roll out of itunes radio starts with australia
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple launched iTunes Radio in Australia on Tuesday, taking its music streaming service beyond US shores for the first time since its launch five months ago.

We first heard rumors back in October that Apple was looking to roll out the free service in Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand “by early 2014,” so we’ll likely see it land in the remaining countries some time soon. It’s also expected to launch in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in the same time frame.

iTunes Radio, an ad-supported service that lets iDevice users and anyone with a Mac or PC create music ‘stations’ based on various elements such as artists, genres, and songs, is Apple’s answer to the likes of Pandora, Rdio and Spotify.

While Pandora currently only operates in three locations – the US, Australia and New Zealand – Rdio and Spotify are each available to users in more than 50 countries.

Apple may be able to roll out its service more quickly than Pandora as it has already inked deals with major record companies such as Universal Music Group, a factor that could put pressure on Pandora’s user base in the next year or so.

The Cupertino company touts iTunes Radio as offering “thousands of new songs every week, as well as serving up exclusive music from new and popular artists before you hear them anywhere else.” It said more than 11 million people tried out the service in its first five days of availability following its launch in September, though hasn’t offered any relevant statistics since then. However, with the iTunes store known to have around 500 million users, there is obviously huge growth potential for iTunes Radio once it starts landing in other countries. Pandora currently has 200 million registered users and 76 million monthly active users.

When iTunes Radio launched in the US, Apple executive Eddy Cue said in an interview the tech giant wanted to take its music streaming service to “more than 100 countries.” Tuesday’s roll out in Australia could signal a rapid expansion of the offering, a development that’s likely to cause a degree of concern among its rivals in a space which has become increasingly competitive in recent months.

[Source: Apple]

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Why iTunes had to die to be reborn
leaving itunes music store open can kill macs battery life logo 2015

iTunes was the reason I purchased my very first Apple MacBook. Not because I wanted to use the software in particular, or because I was so keen to buy music through it. I’d just got my first iPhone, and syncing it with iTunes on a Windows laptop was so hateful, I’d have done anything to avoid it.

Back then, in around 2008, the only way to update, backup, or transfer content to an iPhone was through iTunes. It was an essential piece of the puzzle, and because over-the-air software updates didn’t arrive until 2011 with iOS 5, there was no way other option. iTunes on Windows at that time was truly awful: Slow, frustrating, and fond of crashing.

Read more
Your Apple iTunes listening data is only worth about 8 cents, lawsuit claims
itunes on an iPhone lifestyle image

Your most embarrassing musical secrets may be worth just 8 cents, according to a recent lawsuit filed against Apple.

The suit, filed Friday in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, claims that Apple sells customers' iTunes listening data to third-party companies. The documents revealed just how little your musical preferences might actually be worth on the open market.

Read more
Apple’s revamped TV app is here, rolling out to viewers with iOS 12.3 update

Looking forward to Apple's upcoming on-demand streaming service and revamped Apple TV experience? Today is your lucky day. The company has officially released a brand new version of its TV app for iOS, letting users of iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV HD/Apple TV 4K browse, stream, and enjoy their favorite content with ease.

The updated TV app, which was previously available as a beta, comes as part of the company's long-anticipated iOS 12.3 update, which rolled out to all eligible iOS devices via the Settings app on Monday, May 13. To get the update, just go to the settings menu, click "general", then click "software update." The update is free.

Read more