Hasta La Gadget!

Late last year Apple released iTunes Radio, its first free ad-support music streaming service. iTunes Radio is only available in select markets right now, Apple has been taking its time in expanding it outside the U.S. Recent reports indicate that Latin America might be the next destination for this service. Before that happens, it is likely that iTunes Radio UK release will take place first.

It was reported back in October last year that iTunes Radio will be launched in the UK come “early 2014.” The first few months of 2014 have already passed and so far the service hasn’t gone live across the pond. A new report reveals that Paul Wright, Apple’s director of iAd based in London, is meeting with media marketing agencies in the country to discuss advertising on iTunes Radio.

Getting advertisers on board the iAd platform for iTunes Radio hints at a possible launch in the near future. Another major indicator of the impending launch is the fact that users have seen iTunes Radio appear sporadically on their devices in the UK. Since iTunes Radio heavily depends upon ad revenue to keep the music playing, it makes sense for Apple to secure ad dollars prior to launching the service. Apple has not commented on this report, so an exact launch date is not yet known.

iTunes Radio UK Release Possible Soon , original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Apple, Audio, itunes radio,

A report suggests that Apple is considering a “dramatic overhaul” of the iTunes music store in a bid to plug declining music downloads. Late last year the company launched iTunes Radio, a free ad-supported music streaming service that also gives listeners the ability to purchase tracks. But it doesn’t look like the service helped much in controlling declining sales.

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Major iTunes Music Store Revamp Possible original content from Ubergizmo.

Apple is adding NPR to iTunes radio, making it the first news station on the streaming service. (Read in your best public radio voice). [Re/code]

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Before Apple launched iTunes Radio, word on the street was that the company was working on a Pandora killer. iTunes Radio was launched late last year and it has grown substantially since then. If latest rumors are true, Apple may be turning its focus towards an on-demand streaming service. That would essentially be an Apple Spotify rival, and apparently the company has already opened up “exploratory talks” with senior music label executives.

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Apple Spotify Rival Release Possible [Report] original content from Ubergizmo.

First rumored back in 2013, the possibility that an Amazon music streaming service may be on the horizon has surfaced once again. Back then it was rumored that Amazon had held informal talks with music industry executives. But no service materialized. The Wall Street Journal is now reporting that Amazon has begun courting major record labels for its new music service. The service may rival iTunes Radio, which has been in the market for less than a year, but now holds eight percent of the U.S. music streaming market.

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Amazon Music Streaming Service Rumored original content from Ubergizmo.