“Apple appears to be removing many of the popular music downloading apps from the iOS App Store, including those that allowed users to obtain files from third-party file sharing sites,” Richard Padilla reports for MacRumors. “The move is likely in an attempt to push the iTunes Store and iTunes Radio, as well as to clean up the App Store ahead of an overhaul in iOS 8.”
“A search for the term ‘music download’ in the App Store displays a message inviting users to try out iTunes Radio,” Padilla reports. “Previously, the same search would show results for a number of apps that could download music and audio files from websites such as Soundcloud and YouTube, with many appearing on the App Store’s ‘Top Charts’ section.”
Padilla reports, “Some developers have also noted that Apple has asked them to remove audio downloading functionalities from their app, perhaps to prevent potential piracy.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn Weiler” for the heads up.]
This may be a move by Apple to comply with contract terms Beats has with record labels, or it could be a move to show Hollywood that Apple is serious about preventing piracy so Apple can get distribution contracts with movie studios.
If this was purely an anti-piracy action by Apple, good on them! But what’s reported here is EVIL BEHAVIOR. I’m going to wait for the shoes to start dropping on this. You’d better have a clad iron umbrella Apple, if this article is correct that is.
Bad move on Apple’s part. If you want to show that you’re the superior platform, you do not shy away from your competition. You build the best in class product and promote it as such.