Filed under: Audio, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Real Networks submitting Rhapsody music service for iPhone. Duck!
Now this will be interesting to watch. RealNetworks, not always best of friends with Apple, is submitting an iPhone app so subscribers can access the Rhapsody music service.The app is designed to be full-featured, and will let Rhapsody subscribers get easy control of the on-demand music service. Real Networks has described the app's operation on its Rhapsody blog:
The Rhapsody app is designed to stream music over 3G, EDGE or Wi-Fi networks. If approved, it will require a Rhapsody To Go account, which is US$15.00 per month. Spotify, a similar European music service, also has an app awaiting approval for the iPhone.You'll see a menu bar across the bottom of the screen, as is found in many apps. You'll have the option to check out the queue, your library, browse the Rhapsody library (ahem, all 8 million + songs of it), search, and settings. The app has all the functionality of the client, or Rhapsody.com, only super portable.
Apple already allows the Sirius/XM app, which is a different, but still a paid subscription service, and of course Pandora, Last.fm and other streaming music services.
All these apps are competition to iTunes, so the world will be watching to see if Apple draws the line with RealNetworks, or keeping a careful eye on the FCC, approves it.
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Brian said 2:36PM on 8-24-2009
Rhapsody has two subscription services.
1. To Go: Listen to music anytime, anywhere -- including on your portable player.
2. Unlimited: Listen to music anytime, from your PC or web browser.
"To Go" is a download to supported devices that you can play off line. "Unlimited" is streaming.
I have an unlimited account. I believe the app would be for the "unlimited" subscription service, not "To Go".
Reasons the app may be permitted:
-Nothing in AT&T's service agreement prohibits streaming audio.
-There are already streaming audio and video apps in the App Store (such as Simplify, Last.FM, CBC Radio, YouTube, VoIP clients, etc)
-This does not change the usability of the iPod function as Rhapsofy Unlimited is streaming only
Reasons the app may be rejected:
-Steve Jobs wants to be a douche bag
-The rhapsody app doesn't support adult ratings for explicit content
-The rhapsody app doesn't follow the Apple style guides or tries to use undocumented features
-The rhapsody app crashes
Reply
Darren said 2:43PM on 8-24-2009
Lots of apps play music.
I just downloaded the CBC App (Canadian public broadcaster). It plays all sorts of live streams and on-demand (i.e. podcasts) content, and it lets browse the web while you're listening.
It should be no different than this Rhapsody app
Reply
Rudy said 2:52PM on 8-24-2009
i wouldnt be surprised if it got rejected at this point.
Reply
fm said 3:01PM on 8-24-2009
I can't wait. I've had a Rhapsody account that I use at home for years, and having access to it from work and on the go will be a big improvement and lower the temptation to buy a second non-Apple player for this kind of functionality. Better yet, maybe it will push Apple to the reality that they should offer a subscription service for their customers. I'd be amongst the first in line to make the switch if they did.
Reply
marcelebrate said 3:30PM on 8-24-2009
Let's hope this also inspires Real/Rhapsody to create a native OS X client. Fluid.app + rhapsody.com is holding down the fort for now, but it's got plenty of quirks that a native app wouldn't.
Reply
Rohit said 5:11PM on 8-24-2009
I was all excited about Rhapsody but many are talking about it getting rejected since allowing Rhapsody would mean apple having to approve Napster app as well just in case napster develops one that is.
However, just in case Napster app does get accepted we all will get to enjoy unlimited on-demand streaming on our iPhone for just $5/month instead of $13/month!
http://tinyurl.com/rhapsodyiPhone7
Reply
Calexifan said 5:18PM on 8-24-2009
This smells like a PR stunt to me. I'll bet Real doesn't have a fully developed iPhone app ready to go. (No, the YouTube video doesn't convince me otherwise.)
It's a PR stunt that may very well pay off, though. I wasn't really aware of Rhapsody until reading the TUAW post, and now I'm thinking about signing up for an account. (I may wait a month or so, though, to see if Apple itself might launch a subscription service in time for the holidays.)
Reply
crsh said 5:26PM on 8-24-2009
Mandatory "Real is still around?!" post.
Ok, seriously, I had no idea Real was still around, it feels like such a blast from the past.
Reply
kenfagerdotcom said 5:30PM on 8-24-2009
I won't be ::buffering:: instal ::buffering:: ing anything from Real ::buffering:: ::buffering:: Networks anyt ::buffering:: ime soon. ::buffering::
Reply
Huck said 5:59PM on 8-24-2009
Hilarious! ('Cause it's true.)
TACH said 9:06PM on 8-24-2009
LOL Funny, because its true! LOL
mendelini said 5:57PM on 8-24-2009
WANT.
Reply
Steven said 6:31PM on 8-24-2009
a lala.com iphone app would be a hundred times better to have.
Reply
jonathan said 10:11AM on 8-25-2009
totally.
i am also a lala fan. unfortunately, according to lala, their iphone app is in rejection purgatory, not knowing its fate since november of '08.
mmgm said 7:58PM on 8-24-2009
Pandora is my favorite music app for my ipod touch, it works just like it does on the pc, great for music lovers - create your own stations and it's very good sound quality.
check out my blog, and let me know what you think
http://music-movies-games-more.blogspot.com/
Reply
Shawn said 8:59PM on 8-24-2009
Isn't Rhapsody something that Verizon pushes quite a bit here in the states? Am I just reading (hoping) too much into this?
Reply
jb510 said 2:08AM on 8-25-2009
I far prefer Pandora myself...
...but I wouldn't be surprised is Apple rejects it. After all it duplicates the functionality of iTunes and would cause customer confusion... wouldn't it?
Reply
OC Technophile said 3:21AM on 8-25-2009
They'll never approve it.. Unless iTunes goes subscription it's the only game in town. Real is pissed it lost it's realdvd case and now reaching for this. Ron glazer needs to sell real to Msft and then retire. Who uses the real player anyways?
Reply
anas said 11:37AM on 8-25-2009
is that to be waiting so long for buffering when using Rhapsody?
share, thanks
Reply
Nick said 12:10PM on 8-25-2009
Rejected because it duplicates the features of the "phone" function (i.e., you press a button and sound comes out). Customers could be confused by this.
Reply