According to the AdAge site, Apple will launch its listening to music streaming services next month. It will consist of a free offer punctuated with advertisements and a paid service for audio and video via a iTunes Match.
The countdown has started for the start of iTunes Radio, AdAge says as well as listening to streaming music service by Apple.
iTunes Radio based on a free offer supported by advertising. According to AdAge, Apple has already signed agreements with McDonald's, Nissan, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble. The entry tickets would range from a few million to several tens of millions of dollars for current 12-month campaign. The first advertisers will have exclusivity in their respective sectors until 2013.
In the free version, iTunes Radio impose audio every 15 minutes with commercials and a video ad for every hour. To be sure a video is viewed, it will be triggered only after the user has pressed the play button or next.
Initially, the ads will appear on all compatible devices with iTunes, but from 2014, advertisers can target specific devices. The price of the advertisements will be proportional to the screen size.
Customers will be able to opt for a version of iTunes Radio without advertising, but they will have to subscribe to iTunes Match services (24.99 Euros / year) for storing personal music in the cloud. Apple also plans to earn revenue from the sale of pieces and a "buy" button will appear next to each title.
The exact launch date of the service is not specified, but it could perhaps intervene on September 10 on the occasion of the presentation of new or iPhone. Apple said iTunes Radio will initially be available in the United States before being extended to other countries.
