Currently Apple’s popular music streaming service iTunes Radio which launched last fall is integrated into the Music App in iOS 7 but according to 9to5mac Apple might make iTunes Radio an independent app on iOS in order to “boost usage” of the service as competitors like Samsung’s Milk Music are bringing out their own alternatives in an already very saturated market. If Apple does so it wouldn’t be the first time, as previously Videos were also integrated into the Music app but in iOS 5 Apple gave it its own app.
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Currently iTunes radio is the third most-used audio streaming service, on first place is Pandora and second is iHeartRadio according to data from Statista
Another good reason for Apple to make iTunes Radio independent is to increase in advertisers looking to promote their product of service, something that Apple has been working on a lot lately as it will also make mayor improvements to its current ad platform called iAds and with the acquisition made earlier this year of SkyRocket. However, according to 9to5mac don’t expect iTunes radio to become an independent app until iOS 8
