Apple has waded into the music streaming scene by unveiling iTunes Radio, to be launched later this year in the United States, the tech giant announced on Monday.
iTunes Radio will be launched alongside iOS 7, and will offer free ad-supported unlimited streaming of iTunes' 26 million strong song library. Subscriber to Apple's existing iTunes Match service, available for $25 per year, will get an ad-free version of the service.
The iTunes Radio "freemium" model follows that of Spotify and Pandora, but while both platforms have apps available for Apple's devices, Apple will be able to offer greater integration between its streaming service and its hardware and software.
For example, iTunes Radio will be integrated with the Siri voice assistant, allowing users to ask "who plays that song?" and get it answered by Siri straight away.
Other standard features, such as the ability to create your own customized radio stations, or choose from 200 featured stations, will also be included.
As for the Australian launch date of iTunes Radio, Apple were unable to provide any additional information at present. Due to the complicated nature of music licensing, where Apple will have to negotiate licenses on a region by region basis, one can expect a relatively long wait of the Oz version of iTunes Radio.
