iTunes Goes Social with Ping
While I mentioned Apple’s big plans for devices yesterday, there is some equally big news for software. Steve Jobs announced the improvements that will be made for iTunes 10, most notably of which will be the addition of Ping, a social network based on music. Ping will just be a part of iTunes that users can choose to use or not use, and will enable people not only to see what activities their friends are engaging in on iTunes, but also see how their favorite celebs use iTunes. Anyone who is represented on iTunes, be it by movies, music, or podcasts, will be available to follow, and will enable users to become part of their “inner circle.” There will be a constant flow of live updates, comment capabilities, and tools that enable people to share every part of the entertainment experience, including finding concert tickets and seeing who else will be in attendance. In short, Ping will provide an incredible aid for music discovery, entertainment news, and most importantly a new element to the social networking sphere.
Since Ping will also automatically be incorporated into the iTunes on your iPod or iPhone, it will be accessible from anywhere at any time. However, this accessbility and the mobile platform also beg the question of whether or not there will be an app element to Ping. Since apps are such a huge part of iTunes, it’s possible that Ping will also include a way for people to see what apps their friends are using and what opinions they may have. This would make finding new and cool apps a much easier and more fun process, would strengthen the power of word of mouth, and would encourage a much needed dialogue in the app world.
Even though many people are skeptical about if yet another social network is what we need, I look forward to seeing how Ping will revolutionize music and entertainment trends, and what it will contribute to the mobile sphere.
This article was published by iphoneapplicationlist.com
