Apple has a big event planned for March, where a couple of major announcements are expected. However, a new iTunes subscription service is not expected to be one of them.
Last month it was reported that Apple was integrating the Beats Music subscription service into iTunes. It also emerged later in the month that Apple’s new hire, former DJ Zane Lowe, would be the mastermind behind the new service’s curation element.
Now it’s being reported that Apple won’t launch this new subscription service on March 9. Rather, 9to5Mac claims to have learned from music industry sources that it will feature at WWDC in early June.
Apparently, Apple’s current thinking is that the new iTunes service will form part of an iOS 8 update that will be released following WWDC. However, it’s also possible that the company will include it as one of iOS 9’s new features some time in September.
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Given the rumours that iOS 9 won’t be carrying many new features as it stands, that last suggestion doesn’t appear to ridiculous. On the other hand, Apple is already quite late with its plan to enter the music subscription service game, so the sooner the better.
The service was apparently intended for an early 2015 launch, but Apple has been having difficulties with integrating the Beats technology and staff into its own. Certain key staff members have also left the project and Apple along the way, including staff assigned to building an Android version of the iTunes subscription service.
So, just the Apple Watch and the 12-inch Retina MacBook Air for March 9, then.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
