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Though we were all disappointed that a new iPad model wasn’t revealed during yesterday’s WWDC Keynote Address, Apple finally officially announced that the release of iTunes Radio this fall. This free radio streaming service will work across platforms, including the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, as well as Macs and Apple TV.
The new music streaming service will be integrated into iTunes, and allow the user to purchase new music, or add it to a wish list, with a single click. According to Apple, the service will be able to tap into a user’s purchase and listening history to make personalized radio suggestions as soon as a user signs on. Apple also promises to add exclusive songs to the stream on a weekly basis, and offer users access to special events including live streams of the iTunes music festival in London.
“iTunes Radio is an incredible way to listen to personalized radio stations which have been created just for you,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “It’s the music you love most and the music you’re going to love, and you can easily buy it from the iTunes Store with just one click.”
Even if a user is new to iTunes (there must be someone out there, right?), iTunes Radio will offer more than 200 genre-based stations, so it’s easy to zero in on your favorite type of music whether it is electro-pop or sonatas. The user can also create new stations on-the-fly based on a particular song or artist.
Music fans must be excited to try out iTunes Radio’s Siri integration. Siri will answer questions including, “who plays that song” or will respond to requests including, “play more like this” or “play the Zydeco station.”
Folks with iTunes Match will automatically log in to the ad-free version of iTunes Radio. Maybe the release of iTunes radio will pull listeners away from Pandora, considering that a Pandora One account runs $39.99 per year, while iTunes Match costs only $24.99.
Upon its release, iTunes Radio will only be available in the US.
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