Skip to main content

Apple will launch iRadio streaming service this summer, report claims

Apple iCloud musicWith Apple being the secretive outfit that it is, there are always plenty of rumors doing the rounds about what high-tech goodies it might or might not have up its sleeve.

Recent talk has focused on the so-called iTV and the possibility of an iWatch. And over the weekend, another i-product hit the headlines, though admittedly not for the first time.

A report from The Verge over the weekend claimed iRadio, a music streaming service set to rival the likes of Spotify and Pandora, is gearing up for a summer launch.

“iRadio is coming. There’s no doubt about it anymore,” music industry insiders told the tech site. The “multiple” sources added that talks between Apple and leading music labels such as Universal and Warner had taken significant steps forward recently, increasing the chances of a launch in the coming months.

According to a recent New York Post report, the Cupertino company is pushing for a deal that would result in it paying 6 cents per 100 song streams. Pandora is reportedly paying 12 cents for the same number of song streams, while Spotify is said to be paying around 35 cents.

“Music label insiders suggest Apple — which is sitting on a cash hoard of roughly $137 billion — ought to pay at least the rate set by the Copyright Royalty Board, or about 21 cents per 100 songs streamed,” the Post reported.

So would the music labels really ink a deal with the tech giant for that kind of money? With Apple’s iDevices and iTunes software so widely used, quite possibly. And if they do, and Apple launches iRadio some time this year, Albert Fried & Co. analyst Richard Tullo believes the service could pull in some 20 million users in its first 12 months. Pandora, which launched in 2005, is believed to have around 150 million users.

There have been several reports over the last six months or so suggesting Apple is prepping a streaming radio service. In September, the Wall Street Journal reported that a free, ad-supported service would be made available across all of Apple’s hardware products – ie. its mobile devices and Mac computers – and possibly PCs running Windows, too.

And in February, graphic designer Austin Smith was tinkering with iOS 6.1’s system files on his iPod Touch when he stumbled across data linked to icons showing an antenna broadcasting a signal while exploring. No, Apple developers won’t have thrown them in there just for the fun of it.

There’s currently no word on whether iRadio would get a global launch or be restricted to US-based users at the beginning.

Editors' Recommendations

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)…
Apple will now let you repair more Macs and iPhones yourself
A person repairing a MacBook using Apple's self-service repair kit.

Apple has been running a self-service repair program that lets you fix up your devices yourself since April 2022, but it’s always been a little bit hobbled. Now, though, Apple has expanded the program to include some of the latest devices available in what could be a boost to the right-to-repair movement.

Starting today, the program will include the M2 13-inch MacBook Air and the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the entire iPhone 14 lineup. That means if you want to repair one of these products, Apple will provide you with official parts, tools and instructions to help you do it. Previously, you couldn’t do this yourself with Apple-approved parts, despite the devices being available for many months.

Read more
Apple’s next MacBooks and iPads could be in serious trouble
The MacBook Pro open on a wooden table.

Hype has been growing for Apple’s upcoming M3 chips, which are expected to splash down in a slate of Macs and iPads later this year. Yet one leaker has come along to spoil the party and has claimed that we won’t see anything of the sort until 2024.

That idea comes from Twitter leaker Revegnus, who tweeted that there would be “No M3 Mac or iPad for this year.” That will be disappointing news to anyone looking forward to laying their hands on the latest and greatest Apple silicon chips in the coming months.

Read more
9 new Apple products that could launch in 2023
The back of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

As it currently stands, 2023 has already been a busy year for Apple. The company launched a new yellow iPhone 14, brought back the HomePod, and refreshed its Mac lineup with an M2 Mac mini and M2 MacBook Pro. But what else is on the docket? As it turns out, a lot more. From new iPhones, an upgraded Apple Watch, and possibly an AR headset, here are nine products we still expect from Apple in 2023.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro

If there is any Apple product with an upgrade cycle that’s literally like clockwork, it’s the iPhone, which is always out in the fall. This year, we can expect the iPhone 15 lineup to include an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, it is rumored that the iPhone 15 will have a bigger 6.2-inch display this year, but the rest of the lineup will have the same sizes as before.

Read more