Apple iRadio One Step Closer after Deal with Sony

Photo of Paul Ausick
By Paul Ausick Updated Published
This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

Music Key
Thinkstock
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has reportedly signed a deal with Sony Music Entertainment, a division of Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE), clearing the way for the Cupertino company to announce its expected internet radio service at the company’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference next week. Apple has already signed deals with Vivendi’s Universal Music and Warner Music Group, the other two massive music licensing firms.

Word of the deal between Sony and Apple was attributed to “people with knowledge of the situation” by Bloomberg News. No details were available, but Sony had been holding out on both the licensing and publishing fronts. Sony Music Entertainment is the company’s licensing business and Sony/ATV is the publishing business. Apple still needs to sign a deal with Sony/ATV in order to gain access to Sony’s vast music library.

Apple’s Internet radio service, dubbed “iRadio” by everyone but Apple itself, is expected to be modeled on Pandora Media Inc.’s (NYSE: P) streaming radio service. Streaming is expected to be free with an available payment option similar to an on-demand service like Spotify.

Photo of Paul Ausick
About the Author Paul Ausick →

Paul Ausick has been writing for a673b.bigscoots-temp.com for more than a decade. He has written extensively on investing in the energy, defense, and technology sectors. In a previous life, he wrote technical documentation and managed a marketing communications group in Silicon Valley.

He has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Chicago and now lives in Montana, where he fishes for trout in the summer and stays inside during the winter.

Featured Reads

Our top personal finance-related articles today. Your wallet will thank you later.

Continue Reading

Top Gaining Stocks

CBOE Vol: 1,568,143
PSKY Vol: 12,285,993
STX Vol: 7,378,346
ORCL Vol: 26,317,675
DDOG Vol: 6,247,779

Top Losing Stocks

LKQ
LKQ Vol: 4,367,433
CLX Vol: 13,260,523
SYK Vol: 4,519,455
MHK Vol: 1,859,865
AMGN Vol: 3,818,618