08 Sep 10

Ping - Apple's new social network for music

by Laura Fenton, Digital Planner/Buyer

Incorporated into Apple's latest iTunes update, music social network Ping will enable users to follow musicians and friends, in addition to sharing a multitude of music-related information such as music tastes and upcoming gigs via a stream - similar to other social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

With users able to access Ping through iPhone and iTouch devices as well as via Mac and PC iTunes software, Apple now has the chance to rival and potentially overtake existing players in the social music market such as Myspace and Last.fm as well as more generic social networks.

Additional functionality such as the social network’s ability to build playlists based on what friends are listening to may help to entice new users to Ping, but with over 160 million people currently using iTunes, it seems Apple are already entering the social music market in a very good place. According to the most recent press release from Apple (4th Sept 2010), more than 1 million iTunes users had joined Ping within 48 hours of its launch.

Whilst there will undoubtedly be initial user grumbles with the new social network (as always seems to be the case with apple products and new software), the fact iTunes already acts as a place for people to buy music could well mean they are onto a real winner with the introduction of a social music network to their ever increasing portfolio of products.