At it’s Spring Forward event, Apple announced that its connected car solution will appear in more than 40 new car models this year. The CarPlay software turns over a vehicle’s digital dashboard to a simplified version of iOS 8 so that the driver can use voice or touch controls to access navigation, phone calls and messages, and music while on the road. Continue Reading
Today, the big buzz is about Beats. Apple has one of its press events happening on Monday, but the rumors are that the company’s new vision for Beats Music will not be making its debut at the Spring Forward event. Instead, it seems that the introduction will happen in the summer, at Apple’s WWDC conference. Continue Reading
Today’s brief news items are all about Apple: competing with Snapchat for a label; an App Store model for iTunes; and an Editorial Producer for hire. Continue Reading
Guest columnist Chris Price of New Slang Media writes about renowned DJ Zane Lowe leaving the BBC for Apple. If that represents a convergence of broadcast radio and Internet radio, the author — a fan of streaming audio — recommends five other lessons that online radio could learn from broadcast. Continue Reading
Zane Lowe, well known in Britain and around the world for his weeknight music-discovery radio show on the BBC, has taken a position at Apple in Cupertino. When a popular DJ quits his show and moves to one of the world’s leading technology companies, the news can be framed within the human-vs-machine argument which divides streaming music curation Continue Reading
Yesterday, Apple news site 9to5mac.com reported that it had received inside information about what the company’s new Beats Music-inspired streaming service will look like. Of course, the author gave no names or explanations of how and where he obtained the intel, so we’re taking it with a grain of salt for the time being. But here’s what we learned. Continue Reading
Apple released some mind-boggling financial figures from the first quarter in its latest SEC filing. The company’s net income for Q1 was $18.02 billion on net sales of nearly $74.6 billion. Underneath the huge revenue, though, the news was not so good for iTunes. Continue Reading
Apple has filed for a new patent that could change how digital rights management is handled in its music properties. iTunes buyers could potentially share files downloaded from the store. If it plays out that way, it could open a secondary revenue stream for Apple’s decelerating music store. Continue Reading
On Thursday, Zenbu Magazines filed multiple proposed class-action lawsuits against several streaming services seeking to collect royalties on music recorded before 1972. The company targeted Beats Electronics, Sony Entertainment, Google, Rdio, Songza, Slacker, and Escape Media Group (which owns Grooveshark) in the complaints. Continue Reading
Apple seems to have made another musical purchase, this one with a focus on data. According to MusicAlly, UK media data startup Semetric changed its registered address to the same one as Apple Europe. The company also appears to have appointed Apple’s vice president of corporate law as a director in October. Financial details have not been formally disclosed, but the deal has been pegged at about $50 million. Continue Reading
Automaker Hyundai is planning its 2016 digital dashboards, and issued a press release with some details. The system is called Display Audio, and comes in Google and Apple flavors. It is plug-and-play, where the driver connects a smartphone to the dashboard with a USB cable. The CD player has been eliminated. Continue Reading
In an impactful announcement, CBS launched Play.it, a web-based podcast network. The venture brings CBS’ significant talent assets, program brands, and promotional power to the growing podcast network industry. The initiative is co-developed by CBS Radio and CBS Local Digital Media. Continue Reading