Report : Apple To Launch iRadio At WWDC, Inks Deal With Warner Music
The New York Times reports that Apple is still hoping to launch its much-rumored streaming music service at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next week, pressing to complete deals with record labels that would allow the company to announce the service.
Apple’s service, a Pandora-like feature that would tailor streams of music to each user’s taste, has been planned since at least last summer.
The Cupertino based company successfully signed a deal over the weekend with Warner Music Group and its publishing arm, Warner/Chappell Music, for recorded music rights and music publishing rights.
About a month ago, it signed another deal with Universal Music Group for its recorded music rights. Negotiations are still going on with Sony, which has been going back and forth with Apple over some specifics about features built into Apple’s product.
iRadio streaming music service is said to be a free, ad-supported offering, with the labels reportedly seeking similar revenue rates to that seen from Pandora, although Apple is seeking more extensive licenses to provide more flexibility for users.
The Wall Street Journal has more on Apple’s deal with Warner:
Under the deal, Apple will give Warner Music Group’s publishing arm 10% of ad revenue — more than twice what Internet radio giant Pandora Media Inc. pays major music publishers. Warner’s terms with Apple could pave the way for other major publishing deals to follow.
Apple has indicated to people involved in the negotiations that the service could be announced at its annual developers conference, which begins June 10 in San Francisco.
[NYTimes, WSJ, MacRumours]
