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Rumor: iTunes online music streaming to debut at WWDC

Since Apple acquired Lala back in December, we've wondered what its developers would do with their new purchase. Rumors suggest we'll find out in a few weeks at WWDC. Macsimum news is reporting that a live streaming version of iTunes will debut at the conference.

Some have speculated that iTunes will move to a subscription model, but others don't see it that way. Michael Robertson, former CEO of mp3.com, believes that Apple will create an "online locker" of your iTunes purchases. Once you buy a song or show or movie, it's added to your online library for you to stream at will. That would be a great solution for users who currently have several space-hogging videos in their purchase history. Perhaps that's what the North Carolina facility is for.

Personally, I'd welcome such a service with open arms. Even now, I play "video shuffle" with my iDevices, moving TV shows and movies back and forth as room and my interests change. How nice would it be to pull up any episode of BSG on any approved device without having to make room for it first? Very nice indeed.

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Since Apple acquired Lala back in December, we've wondered what its developers would do with their new purchase. Rumors suggest we'll find...
 

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Rego

It's amazing that so many are angry at Apple already about a service that has not been announced by Apple and with no knowledge of when or if it will be announced or the capabilities it will have.

I get the impression that life is not complete for some, if they don't have a future unannounced Apple product or service to bitch about.

May 15 2010 at 2:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
david.e.english

Oh, how I'm going to miss SimplifyMedia. (Did Apple have a hand in their "change of course?") I am quickly becoming a disgruntled Apple fanboy, alas. Apple's locked-in-syndrome-mentality is absurdly frustrating. I, too, suspect this upcoming streaming feature will be limited to iTunes' purchased media. If this is the case... ah, gosh, grumble grumble.

At this point, I want to jailbreak the entire company of Apple.

May 15 2010 at 10:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
L3

How long will it take to upload 13 TBs of ripped BD .isos?

May 15 2010 at 12:41 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to L3's comment
Monte

Do you really expect to stream anything better than YouTube over a cellular network?

May 15 2010 at 1:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
L3

It's not what you EXPECT, it's what you INSPECT, that gets done.

May 15 2010 at 1:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ray

Possibly related to the recent trademark filing for iTunes Live maybe? http://techcrunch.com/2010/05/09/apple-files-for-itunes-live-trademark/

May 14 2010 at 10:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rodericrinehart

If it doesn't work on songs I already own, then this is overhyped garbage. I have a TON of legal ripped music, a lot of stuff from Amazon and older mp3 sites, and very very little from iTunes.

How about the music locker, witness 20 gb free and reasonable prices for 100 gb.

May 14 2010 at 10:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mniml

What is the benefit to Apple in this scenario?

May 14 2010 at 9:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Galley

That'll be great for the five tracks I've purchased from the iTunes Store. What about the 1,500 CDs that I own?

May 14 2010 at 8:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mikehild

It's a cool idea, but does it really make sense to announce something like this at WWDC? Remember, the "D" stands for "Developers."

I think we might be more likely to see something Lala-related at Apple's traditional fall iPod event.

May 14 2010 at 7:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
RidleyGriff

As long as this works with music people have already ripped from the CDs they own (i.e., like Lala did), this will be INCREDIBLE.

If it only applies to things we've bought over the iTMS, meh.

Possibilities abound.

May 14 2010 at 7:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dan

iTunes X does sound nice :)

May 14 2010 at 7:37 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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