Ping by Apple

[Hendo]

The Apple event was tonight. The big thing for me was the Game Center thing they announced ages ago with friends lists and stuff, coming in 4.1 firmware.

Nobody on Twitter picked up on this though:

Apple has launched a social network as part of the latest version of its iTunes software.

Ping, as it is known, allows users to build networks of friends and professional musicians, in a similar way to services such as Twitter.

The service also builds playlists based on what friends are listening to.

Analysts said it represents a challenge to existing music-based social networks such as MySpace.

"It's a social network all about music," said Mr Jobs, launching the application at an event in San Francisco.

"We think this will be really popular very fast because 160 million people can switch it on today," he said.

The service will be accessible through iTunes 10 software on Macs and PCs as well as through the iTunes application on iPhones and the iPod Touch.

Analysts at research firm CCS Insight said it represented an "ambitious move" that would present a challenge to "ailing MySpace and other social networks".

Michael Gartenberg, partner with research firm Altimeter group, agreed.

"MySpace is the one that has to look at what this means to them and will probably face the greatest competition from Ping in the short term," he told BBC News.

"They are going to have to figure out a way to differentiate themselves because Apple is already where I am buying my music and this is a natural extension. You wonder why the music industry collectively hasn't thought of this before."

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Sounds pretty cool, very much like Twitter so you only see the stuff from people you're following.

[Sly Reflex]

The reason MySpace got over taken by Facebook was because it was bought out by Murdoch. I knew loads of people that stopped using it over night. Now this will be the nail in the coffin for it, although you'll have as many diehards who hate Apple that will never use it (ping) as much as you will have loyal Apple fans that would swear by used medical syringes if they had the Apple brand on.

I'm not won over by any of it tbh, myspace, facebook, twitter, it's all bollocks. Raptr is the only one of these sites that really does it for me, but either here or there. Even stuff like lastfm doesn't really strike a chord with me.

One day these sites will implode, it's getting to the point where there are so many people trying to do the same thing that no one will give a fuck any more about any of them.

[Hendo]

I'm currently installing the new version of iTunes. It won't find a new version for some reason unless you find the Ping item on the Store.

Seems pretty good, privacy is one of the last things you go through before you finish your account so you can easily stop people from being able to see your profile.

I'm on there under my actual name, was hoping for another MrHendo account, but alas no.

Actually, my reviews are under MrHendo so maybe.