R
Richard Devine
It's possibly the last thing we'd expect to happen, but a new report suggests that Apple is looking at the possibility of launching the iTunes Store on Android. Yes, Android. It all stems from the folks at Billboard, who claim Apple is talking to the record labels about the plans and more:
Apple has opened exploratory talks with senior label executives about the possibility of launching an on-demand streaming service that would rival Spotify and Beats Music, according to three people familiar with the talks. Apple is also thinking about adding an iTunes App for Android phones, the Google rival that has been growing faster than the iPhone, these sources said.
Of the two, an on-demand music service definitely feels more likely. iTunes Radio does its thing very well, but folks who prefer the Spotify type model of listening to whichever tracks and albums take their fancy are out of luck. So, it's not at all inconceivable that iTunes Radio could eventually expand to encompass this type of service.
The iTunes for Android talk is more intriguing, but also more dubious. It is absolutely possible that Apple would see a viable revenue stream there, but this rumor should be treated as exactly that. There is an extensive amount of hurdles to overcome should anything like this ever come to fruition, and the thought of it is very un-Apple like.
Times change, though. As much as Apple might dislike it, Android has the numbers. And with digital music sales gradually on the decline, perhaps another iTunes for Windows style compromise might be in order. Would you welcome the expansion of the iTunes Store to Android? Or do you think it should stay as it currently is?
Source: Billboard
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