A new report claims Apple is in talks to launch an on-demand music streaming service and in a surprising move, is considering to launch an iTunes app for Android smartphones and tablets.
Google and Apple have taken two entirely different approaches when it comes to making apps for the other company's platform. Google for instance, likes to release iOS versions of almost all of its applications and makes them available for free in Apple's iOS App Store. Signs of a deteriorating relationship with the two tech companies couldn't have been clearer than when Apple decided to drop Google Maps from iOS 6 in 2012, the app has shipped as part of iOS since the original iPhone was released in 2007. Apple was criticized for releasing a half-baked application that was not ready for primetime and later approved Google Maps for iOS 6.
Apple's App Store currently has 32 applications for iPhone and 20 applications for iPad made by Google. Google doesn't see any harm in trying to get as many people to use its services regardless of platform, while Apple has taken the approach of keeping its iOS apps to itself. Things are about to change, as a new report claims Apple has some ideas on how it can increase iTunes music sales in a market that saw music sales continue to decline. One of those ways would be Apple releasing its first Android application, an iTunes Store app and an on-demand streaming service.
"Apple has opened exploratory talks with senior label executives about the possibility of launching an on-demand streaming service that would rival Spotify and Beats Music, according to three people familiar with the talks. Apple is also thinking about adding an iTunes App for Android phones, the Google rival that has been growing faster than the iPhone, these sources said. The surprising discussions are part of a multi-pronged strategy to deal with the double-digit decline in U.S. download sales at Apple's iTunes Music Store, the largest music retailer," reports Billboard.
Who knows, maybe Android users will also get apps like iPhoto, Safari, iMessage, iTunes Radio, and more in the future. It could be one slick way for showing a similar move Apple used in its Mac vs. Windows war, show your competitor's users some of your best apps and features on their current OS and let them imagine how much better it will be on Apple hardware, while also getting them to use your services in the process.
