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[Photo: Reinhard Hunger for Fast Company]
Apple's WWDC Keynote
On June 8, 2015 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET, Apple will kick off its Worldwide Developers Conference with a keynote at San Francisco's Moscone Center. Expect news on the next versions of iOS and OS X, and maybe the introduction of a new Apple TV box. Fast Company's Harry McCracken and Daniel Terdiman will report live from the event.
WWDC is always, always primarily about software. This year, that might be even more true than usual. We can assume that upgrades to iOS and OS X are on tap. And the one major piece of hardware which was rumored to debut--a major update to the Apple TV streaming box--now seems unlikely. Come join us to see what's new--and to learn if Apple managed to keep any of its secrets truly secret.
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Some questions that need to be answered: How much will Apple Music cost? Will it force me to see advertising? Will it include my favorite artists, like Taylor Swift (who I can't hear on Spotify)?
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Going global, Noah, seems like a clever way to work me off top 40 hits.
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66% of the music I listen to is by dead people. Will I want to listen to Beats One?
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Apple Music includes Connect, a way for artists to connect with fans. Sort of Ping II.
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They said Apple Music is everything available on iTunes, so that would include Swift and everyone else, right?
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Connect is a bit like Facebook Mentions, giving artists the way to share everything they want in a personally-curated method.
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Another interesting spin Apple is pushing here: There's a realtime social response to their DJing. Again, Apple is positioning itself as a broadcaster, not just a media streamer. It's a small but meaningful difference. Nobody talks about what's on a Spotify station. Apple wants to be part of the instant world conversation. That's what will make them relevant (from their perspective).
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Any day Apple can launch a social network is a great day.
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Broadcasting in an age of nichecasting--again, brilliantly counterintuitive or indicative of a leadership that's out of touch?
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I wonder if this will be the start of things. In other words, will Apple eventually branch out from music to news, sports, politics, etc., on its 24/7 global radio service?
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Drake is meandering in a way that rarely happens onstage at an Apple event.
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I'm with you @DanielTerdiman, the B1 radio may be branded differently from Apple Music for a reason -- it's just the first of many radio stations they will offer.
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Instapoll: Weirder WWDC keynote speaker, Jimmy Iovine or Drake?
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Eddy Cue is wishing Phil Schiller a happy birthday. "Yaaaay!"
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Like Elon Musk on stage recently, Drake was adorably awkward.
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These keynotes have gotten untucked in a metaphorical way that isn't just about shirttails.
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Eddy Cue demoing Apple Music by listening to Aretha.
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This shows how tricky it is to have a consumer spin on what is a developers conference. Hard to imagine a single developer cares about Apple Music
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They keep mentioning karaoke night, but who wants to bet it's not really karaoke night for Eddy Cue, Craig Federighi, et al.
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I used to live in iTunes, and have moved almost entirely off Apple's music ecosystem (Rdio and Google Music, in my case). I assume I'm not alone. Will Apple be able to get us back?
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Hey, there's Taylor Swift in Eddy's playlist -- but is it streaming?
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@harrymccracken And Federighi was dancing earlier. Will Tim Cook complete the troika?
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Apple Music includes tens of thousands of ad-free music videos.
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Beats One reminds me of when Bill Nguyen (who sold the neat, short-lived Lala to Apple) actually went out and bought an established terrestrial radio station.
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So far, no signs of anything game-changing in Apple Music. Pitch sounds similar to the one for Beats Music.
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Lala! I envision Bill Nguyen in Hawaii smiling . . . .
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Bill moved to Tahoe and started a school there. Ran into him in an airport and he gave me the pitch right there.
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@HarryMcCracken My thinking is that the benefit/difference is the global community that Apple can bring to the table, and how all that information about people's tastes can be used for everyone. Beats wouldn't have had that on its own.
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You can use Siri to say things like "Play the top 10 songs in alternative."
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If Apple Music undercuts Spotify on price, I guess I'd have to consider it. Otherwise, I am more intrigued by Spotify and its new foray into video and podcasts . . . .
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Hey, that might be the proof that this is a live demo: Siri didn't seem to understand Cue's command.
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Is Apple going to get rid of the name "iTunes" at some point?
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Apple Music will be on Android, too, starting this fall.
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"Starting on June 30, music fans around the world are invited to a 3-month free membership, after which a $9.99/month subscription fee will apply. There will also be a family plan providing service for up to six family members available for just $14.99/month," according to Apple.
