02 September 2010 | Author: D. Warburton Search Copywriter

Apple unveils Ping - a social network for iTunes customers

Apple caused a new stir in the technology world at its San Francisco press conference yesterday, when CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the company's new music-based social network, Ping.

Jobs made no secret of the product's intended competition to social networking leaders Facebook and Twitter, even going as far as to call it "Facebook meets Twitter meets iTunes."

The Apple boss also made sure to differentiate the new iTunes-centred service, however, calling it "a social network all about music."

Jobs explained that Ping allows all 160 million iTunes customers to connect and discover new music more easily. "With Ping you can follow your favourite artists and friends and join a worldwide conversation with music's most passionate fans," he said.

The Belfast Telegraph reports that the site's social networking features will extend to microblogging, in the vein of Twitter, while users can also create a Facebook-style circle of friends. The service may come under scrutiny from privacy watchdogs, however, due to its less customisable options than those of Facebook.

While Ping may have been the main talking point of the conference, Apple also took the opportunity to unveil its latest line of iPods, including the new mid-range product with a small touchscreen. Prices will reportedly vary from £47 for a 2GB iPod Shuffle to £360 for a 64GB iPod Touch.

The tech giant also demonstrated it isn't letting past TV-related failures dampen its endeavours, giving attendees a look at the new edition of its Apple TV box. Expected to debut next month, this product will allow users to stream and download films and TV shows over the internet and will cost around $120 (£80).

Sony jumped the gun on Apple's press conference yesterday when it eagerly debuted its new music service to rival iTunes, expected to launch in 2011.

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