Apple rumored to create social media consolidation client
Apple could be creating a standalone social networking application that will connect to multiple Web sites and share music listening habits with friends, according to a new rumor.
Following up on a report from last week, The Boy Genius Report shared more information Tuesday from their inside source, expanding upon the purported social media integration perhaps coming in iTunes 9. However, now it is said that the feature will not be a part of iTunes, but instead a separate application developed by Apple.
"The social networking integration that we reported iTunes 9 would have seems to be part of a bigger social networking push by Apple," the report states. "We?ve been informed that Apple has plans to tie iTunes 9 into a "Social" application that they plan to release in the future. It was said that the application (separate from iTunes) will be similar to Yahoo?s OneConnect offering and consolidate all your social networking services. (iPhone application? Desktop app? Wasn?t clarified to us)."
The report goes on to say that the new application would allow users to share their listening habits with friends on social networks, send music to friends, and update statuses on numerous Web sites at the same time. iTunes 9 will reportedly also have the ability to broadcast music statuses, separate from the alleged social media application.
The source also expanded on the previously-reported application organization feature, which is said to allow users the ability to reorganize the order of their App Store software from within iTunes. The source states that users in iTunes 9 will be able to sort applications alphabetically, by genre, date added, or in a custom order.
The Boy Genius Report also shares some skepticism, stating that some of the details seem "a little far fetched." However, in their original report, the Web site called the tipster " a pretty reliable source." The yet-unannounced iTunes 9 could be announced at Apple's annual iPod event in September.
Last week's rumors also corroborate with a report from AppleInsider, suggesting official Blu-ray support could be coming soon to the Mac. Sources cryptically suggested that two compelling new features would come with Apple's newest iMacs. One of those features is said to have long been on the wish-lists of many Mac users while the other is expected to cater to the semi-professional audio/video crowd.
Following up on a report from last week, The Boy Genius Report shared more information Tuesday from their inside source, expanding upon the purported social media integration perhaps coming in iTunes 9. However, now it is said that the feature will not be a part of iTunes, but instead a separate application developed by Apple.
"The social networking integration that we reported iTunes 9 would have seems to be part of a bigger social networking push by Apple," the report states. "We?ve been informed that Apple has plans to tie iTunes 9 into a "Social" application that they plan to release in the future. It was said that the application (separate from iTunes) will be similar to Yahoo?s OneConnect offering and consolidate all your social networking services. (iPhone application? Desktop app? Wasn?t clarified to us)."
The report goes on to say that the new application would allow users to share their listening habits with friends on social networks, send music to friends, and update statuses on numerous Web sites at the same time. iTunes 9 will reportedly also have the ability to broadcast music statuses, separate from the alleged social media application.
The source also expanded on the previously-reported application organization feature, which is said to allow users the ability to reorganize the order of their App Store software from within iTunes. The source states that users in iTunes 9 will be able to sort applications alphabetically, by genre, date added, or in a custom order.
The Boy Genius Report also shares some skepticism, stating that some of the details seem "a little far fetched." However, in their original report, the Web site called the tipster " a pretty reliable source." The yet-unannounced iTunes 9 could be announced at Apple's annual iPod event in September.
Last week's rumors also corroborate with a report from AppleInsider, suggesting official Blu-ray support could be coming soon to the Mac. Sources cryptically suggested that two compelling new features would come with Apple's newest iMacs. One of those features is said to have long been on the wish-lists of many Mac users while the other is expected to cater to the semi-professional audio/video crowd.
Comments
It will be interesting to see where Apple heads with this one, I think. They could be onto something.
Does anyone really think Social sites have legs in the long term. I must be getting old, but I have difficulty understanding the value of seeing that someone watched Episode17 of Fringe last night.
I sort of agree with you, but increasingly, I am beginning to wonder whether there is something to this social networking thing. It does seem like every kid over 14 that I know is on it. It is certainly a generational thing.
It will be great to see what Apple does with this. I hope it is not the me.com folks that are put in charge of it (I have been generally disappointed by the way they have implemented me.com. While it has improved quite a bit, it is still clunky, expensive and offers too little storage in the basic plan.)
I suppose I'm interested to see if this turns out. The truth is, just like iChat did for IM,
seems to me that there is your software right there. a new ichat. already has AIM and Jabber. why not expand it.
I suppose I'm interested to see if this turns out. The truth is, just like iChat did for IM, we need for social networking sites. At the current stage, we've got hundreds of ways to social network, and no way to link our networks.
It will be interesting to see where Apple heads with this one, I think. They could be onto something.
It makes the most sense to be a part of iChat or to go alongside iChat. Does iTunes really need a whole new app rolled up inside of it?
I bet special interest groups would love a well made intuitive program such as Apple could produce to bring even more people together. Apple has for years been hawking the video chat crowd by installing iSight cameras in most of their products, and now better cameras in iPhones and iPods. Maybe Apple thinks it's ready to tie all that hardware together.
I don't know. But if anyone can do it, it's Apple. I hope so.
Just my two cents.
I sort of agree with you, but increasingly, I am beginning to wonder whether there is something to this social networking thing. It does seem like every kid over 14 that I know is on it. It is certainly a generational thing.
They've tried this with Boxee, and I've watched a few things that others have recommended etc. I'm just a little cautious about the whole 'transmit everything I do' approach to life. Mind you, I like Genius, which relies on collecting this data and it'd be good to recommend things to friends who I really talk about shows etc with.
It will be great to see what Apple does with this. I hope it is not the me.com folks that are put in charge of it (I have been generally disappointed by the way they have implemented me.com. While it has improved quite a bit, it is still clunky, expensive and offers too little storage in the basic plan.)
Tell me... good for syncing calendars with the iPhone (shame 'to do' and notes are missing) but a missed opportunity so far.
I sort of agree with you, but increasingly, I am beginning to wonder whether there is something to this social networking thing. It does seem like every kid over 14 that I know is on it. It is certainly a generational thing.
It will be great to see what Apple does with this. I hope it is not the me.com folks that are put in charge of it (I have been generally disappointed by the way they have implemented me.com. While it has improved quite a bit, it is still clunky, expensive and offers too little storage in the basic plan.)
most Facebook users are over the age of 50
it's a lot easier to use facebook than email people once in a while
That being said, I hope this isn't a replay of the Sherlock application. I can see developers of TweetDeck, etc. complaining about unfair competition, etc.
It does seem like every kid over 14 that I know is on it. It is certainly a generational thing.
I'm not so sure it is a younger generational thing only. I'm 62 and use these networks a lot. I see more and more retirees enjoying the wider world without leaving their home. Last week there was an article about twitter being used mostly by the 25+ crowd. I see more older musicians hanging out on these sites than younger ones. I'm not saying young people are not using them. They are, but they'd rather text on their phones. I believe this social networking phenomenon in cross generational on the Internet, particularly since it's global in nature.
It will be great to see what Apple does with this. I hope it is not the me.com folks that are put in charge of it (I have been generally disappointed by the way they have implemented me.com. While it has improved quite a bit, it is still clunky, expensive and offers too little storage in the basic plan.)
Agreed. Me.com is sufficient, but definitely not top of its class, especially when there are free alternatives from Google, etc. I was kind of hoping Apple would just integrate Mac OS X with Google's mail and calendar services. I know there are third-party utilities that do this, but it's so much nicer when it's built-in and just works.
seems to me that there is your software right there. a new ichat. already has AIM and Jabber. why not expand it.
While we are at it, I hope Apple is going to integrate iChat with live messenger support. There's next to none in Europe that uses AIM.
They've tried this with Boxee, and I've watched a few things that others have recommended etc. I'm just a little cautious about the whole 'transmit everything I do' approach to life. Mind you, I like Genius, which relies on collecting this data and it'd be good to recommend things to friends who I really talk about shows etc with.
Tell me... good for syncing calendars with the iPhone (shame 'to do' and notes are missing) but a missed opportunity so far.
I think .me has been making progress. Maybe not fast enough.
Wouldn't it be wild if Apple was going into the ISP or even Tecom business with MobileMe, as the frontend to support their own data and VOIP plans for their iPhones and iTouches tying it in with this new social networking thing. It could be why their going to spent billions in NC on that new data center backbone.
What Facebook does For me os allow me to easily connect and communicate with the hundreds of people I've met over the past twenty years of my life. Outside of this service it would be impossible to keep of with everyone.
Does anyone really think Social sites have legs in the long term. I must be getting old, but I have difficulty understanding the value of seeing that someone watched Episode17 of Fringe last night.
I'm assuming the later refers to Blu-Ray, but any ideas out there on the former?
Firewire 400?
SD card Slot?
I'd hope to see this app downloading address book info, et cetera, from Facebook, like the Palm Pre does. Facebook ordinarily blocks people from doing that, but apparently made a special deal with Palm to allow it - it'd be great to see Apple do the same. Maybe they could even tie it into iPhone OS 3.1 to fully duplicate that functionality of the Pre.
you can do it on the blackberry
a lot of people were even complaining that when you installed the BB facebook app it added pictures to all your address book contacts from facebook. there is an iphone app, but since there is a duplicate data bug in the iphone sync software it doesn't work very well