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Big Content scuppers Apple’s iRadio plans

by on20 May 2013

Sony wants people to pay for skipped content

Apple's upcoming streaming music service dubbed "iRadio" is being scuppered due to some hard talking with Big Content. Sony Music and Warner Music Group have always felt they got a raw deal out of the agreement that they made with Steve Jobs and now feel they can score some extra cash out of his successor.

 

Apple's music service is said to be similar to Pandora than Spotify, but it wants to deviate from Pandora's rigid station-based listening rules by giving users extended control, like the ability to rewind or skip a song after listening to a small portion of it. Pandora limits its users to 12 skips per day and pays the full royalty rate for each skipped track.

Some of it is Apple’s own problem. Initially it tried to pay just half of Pandora's royalty rate while demanding more flexibility. The company later realised that the days where it could tell the music industry want to do had past and upped its offered price.

According to the Tame Apple Press the stalled negotiations between Apple and Sony Music are annoying other labels, who are eager to see iRadio launch. Apple has signed deals with Universal and another deal with Warner Music Group is close. Apple was pushing for a summer launch of iRadio, with possible plans to unveil the service at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but it is unclear if the company will be able to meet that deadline.

Last modified on 20 May 2013
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