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| Apple launches social network for music called Ping | Apple launches social network for music called Ping |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Apple has launched a social network as part of its iTunes software. | Apple has launched a social network as part of its iTunes software. |
| Ping, as it is known, allows users to build networks of friends and musicians, in a similar way to services such as Twitter. | Ping, as it is known, allows users to build networks of friends and musicians, in a similar way to services such as Twitter. |
| The service can also build playlists based on what members of those networks are listening to. | The service can also build playlists based on what members of those networks are listening to. |
| "It's a social network all about music," said Mr Jobs, launching the application at an event in San Francisco. | "It's a social network all about music," said Mr Jobs, launching the application at an event in San Francisco. |
| "We think this will be really popular very fast because 160 million people can switch it on today," he said. | "We think this will be really popular very fast because 160 million people can switch it on today," he said. |
| The service will be accessible through iTunes software on Macs and PCs as well as through the iTunes application on iPhones and the iPod Touch. | The service will be accessible through iTunes software on Macs and PCs as well as through the iTunes application on iPhones and the iPod Touch. |
| Analysts at research firm CCS insight said it represented an "ambitious move" that would present a challenge to "ailing MySpace and other social networks". | |
| Mr Jobs also used the event to introduce an updated version of its Apple TV, which can be plugged into a television set and used to stream movies and TV shows from iTunes. | |
| The original product has been around since 2007, but has never been a success for Apple. Mr Jobs has in the past described it as a "hobby". | |
| "We've sold a lot of them, but it's never been a huge hit," he said. | |
| The new version will only allow people to rent content rather than buy it. All shows and movies will be high-definition. | |
| Initially, it will only offer TV shows from two studios: Fox and ABC. | |
| "We think the rest of the studios will see the light and get on board pretty fast with us," said Mr Jobs. | |
| It would offer the "largest online library of movies to rent in the world", he added. | |
| The box will also allow US users to stream films from rental services such as Netflix and access online services such as Flickr and YouTube. | |
| It will also stream video from other devices, such as the iPad. | |
| Although the box will be available in seven countries at launch, TV show rentals and Netflix connectivity will only be available in the US. | |
| CCS Insight described it as an "attractive convergence device for 'Apple households'." |