You know social networking and the success of Facebook has come of age when Apple, which usually charts its own unique path, has jumped into the social-media fray with an iTunes-based network called Ping.
It's understandable and makes good business sense. It's where consumers are spending most of their Internet time, and Apple has millions (160 million) of iTunes customers who can engage right away. But the creation of Ping puts Apple in an entirely new market, one dominated today by Facebook. Ping will have all the social-networking features we have come to expect, such as friends, photo and video sharing. The biggest allure of Ping is the way it's centered around sharing and shopping for music. So with Ping you can know what your friends are listening to, where your favorite musicians are performing, all with a lot of "buy" buttons. You can express your appreciate for a certain music genre and make new friends based on common music interests and groups. That's a powerful, social feature. Rainmakers are banking on the fact that most consumers would want to socialize with others that share interests in favorite songs, music eras and artists.
Once again, Apple's innovation leads the way. Can't wait to find all my Earth, Wind & Fire Motown buddies on Ping. What music groups will you join on Ping ?
