Apple has signed Sony Music on to its iRadio streaming music service, according to AllThingsD. The deal puts all three major music labels on board with Apple’s new service ahead of Monday’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote address, where the service is now likely to be announced.
Apple is also expected to unveil a redesigned iOS 7 mobile operating system with a “flatter” design and new MacBooks. Meanwhile, a hot new development house has released a note-taking app with a flat design thought to resemble the new OS. And there are also reports that Apple plans to update its Airport Extreme and Time Capsule routers with faster wireless connectivity.
ReadWrite will have live coverage of the WWDC Keynote beginning at 10 AM Pacific, this Monday June 10.
(See also WWDC Update: iRadio Signs Warner Music, Official App Hints At Flat iOS 7, New Macbook Pro Rumors.)
Launching Monday, Available This Fall
iRadio, as reports have dubbed it, is thought to be a personalized online radio service that will be free to users, subsidized by advertising. Though an announcement may well be imminent, the service isn’t expected to be available to users until later this year, likely as part of Apple’s iOS 7 rollout in late Summer/early Fall.
Reports over the last week pegged Universal Music and Warner Music as having signed on to iRadio, leaving Sony as the sole holdout Apple CEO Tim Cook wanted inked to the service ahead of any launch announcement. Apple has also already pivoted its iAd service to sign “big brand” advertisers to advertise on its new digital music service, which may be integrated into existing iTunes software or launch as a standalone software for mobile and desktop devices. Shares of would-be competitor Pandora fell 8% Monday on news that Apple had inked the Universal and Warner deals.
(See aso iRadio To Be Free Free… With iAds.)
Gruber’s Flat App, Refreshed Routers
Q Branch, a new iOS development house that counts noted Apple-centric blogger John Gruber amongst its co-founders, launched note-taking app Vesper yesterday. The app is notable in that it features a “flat” user interface design in line with the new visual direction Apple is said to be taking for iOS 7. Vesper generally eschews drop shadows and textures for a more minimalist design, as does Apple’s official WWDC conference app, adding fuel to the speculation surrounding the rumored iOS 7 design overhaul thought to be coming Monday.
9to5Mac is reporting that Apple may also be prepping refreshes of its Airport Extreme and Time Capsule network routers for launch Monday. The report cites newly leaked SKU and pricing information that matches up with similar info for the current Airport Extreme and Time Capsule products, which are said to be in low supply. Both products would be upgraded to support the 802.11ac wireless networking standard, which supports faster Wi-Fi connections than do current versions of the devices. An earlier 9to5Mac report suggested that refreshed MacBooks with 802.11ac support will also be unveiled Monday.
(See Also Expectations Lowered For Apple’s Big Developers Conference – WWDC – In 2013.)
Image by Scott Schiller via Flickr.