Apple reportedly in talks to create radio streaming service

Apple is working on a custom streaming radio service that would challenge Pandora and similar virtual radio stations, according to a report.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the Wall Street Journal said Apple was in talks to license music for a custom-radio service. Such services work by asking users to input their favorite artists or genre of music and matching them with songs from relevant bands or singers.

The Journal said Apple’s service would work across its devices, including the iPhone, iPad tablet and Mac computers; it might also run on Microsoft’s Windows operating system. But sorry, Android fans -- the service is said to not work on gadgets running Google’s operating system because of an ongoing feud between the two tech giants.

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Like on Pandora, music on Apple’s service would be interspersed with ads, the report said.

“Apple only recently initiated licensing negotiations with record labels for its putative service, and even if it does complete deals, it could be a matter of months when such a service might launch, according to these people,” the Journal’s report said.

Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr declined to comment.

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