Apple Inc. is in talks to license music for a custom-radio service similar to the popular one operated by Pandora Media Inc., according to people familiar with the matter, in what would be a bid by the hardware maker to expand its dominance in online music.
FSM EXCLUSIVE DEAL Such services create virtual “stations” that play music similar to a song or artist of the user’s choosing, either on Web browsers or smartphone apps. Like traditional radio, they are typically free for users, but incorporate advertisements.
The new service would be available across Apple’s entire line of products and could possibly see a Windows release as well.
Apple is reportedly seeking licenses that would let it sidestep many of the restrictions that other companies like Pandora face, such as playing the same song multiple times. For a full breakdown check out The Wall Street Journal’s article here.