This was quite surprising and fascinating…
When iTunes Radio launched last fall, the service was designed for music fans and music labels. Now it is branching out: National Public Radio is adding the first news station to Apple’s audio streaming service, with more on the way.
A few obvious but important things:
1. This is not music. Why is that important? Take out your iPhone. Note that the button you use to access iTunes radio is labeled “music.” This suggests that the rumor of iTunes Radio getting its own app may be correct.
2. This is not music. It’s talk. Will Apple just add one talk source and stop? That would seem weird to me. So what else is coming? (The article I linked mentions “more on the way.”
3. They brought NPR within iTunes radio. Why not just encourage folks to download an NPR News app? Why bring it inside? What else might they bring inside?
I don’t know the answers, but I sure am keeping an eye on what they are up to. Fascinating.