Comprehensive media reported on September 2nd that Apple's new Ping social network in iTunes music store was a blow to Facebook and MySpace, and a leap forward for Amazon.com and its digital music products.
In an activity to introduce new iPod products and new features of iPod Touch, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said that Ping was like "Facebook and Twitter met iTunes". This will be a social network in iTunes, where users can disclose or hide information at will. This will be part of the latest version of iTunes, iTunes 10.
Although Ping only provides music services on the surface, it is likely to have a far-reaching impact on other music services such as Facebook and popular social networks. As part of Facebook's latest expansion plan, Pandora, an internet-based online music service provider, has also merged with Facebook. But Facebook's unpopular privacy stance may be an opportunity for Apple. Facebook's initial default privacy settings are more public unless users change them.
Apple also explicitly set the price of the updated Apple TV product at $99 (down from $229 in the earlier version), which may be a response to the TV threat of Google Inc Apple's new compact device will allow users to watch Mac, iPad and iPod Touche programs on TV. Consumers can also rent TV programs and movies at new low prices, which will initially include only programs provided by ABC, a subsidiary of Walter Disney Company, and Fox, a subsidiary of News Corporation. News Corp. also owns MySpace, the parent company of news publisher Dow Jones.