Michal Marek Well-known and credible news sites CNET and The New York Times both report that Apple has successfully reached an agreement with Warner Music this weekend. If the whole statement were true, it would mean that the second of the three most important music companies (the first is Universal Music Group) is heading together with Apple to implement the often discussed potential iRadio service. Internet radios, such as the popular Pandora, would thus gain a new competitor.
Music publishers Universal Music Group and Warner Music were reportedly in close contact with Apple as early as April this year. The various negotiations were obviously not without success. However, the agreement concluded with the first-named company only concerned the rights of music recordings, not the publishing of music. The new partnership with the Warner studio, on the other hand, is said to include both of these aspects. Unfortunately, there is no agreement yet between Apple and Sony Music Entertainment, which represents, for example, well-known singers Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift.
Many think that things have finally started to move and Apple is about to launch a new business that has been talked about for about six years. The entire ambitious project could theoretically be stirred up by a classic competitive struggle, because Google has already presented its new music service and thus has a head start in the next segment.
Both Apple and Warner management denied the claims by CNET and The New York Times. In any case, CNET continues to speculate that Apple could present its iRadio already at this year's WWDC, which has been held in San Francisco, California since June 10, and the program is being launched by the company from Cupertino.
