Will Ping from Apple Destroy MySpace?

Why is (or perhaps was) MySpace so popular? The secret to its popularity lies in the fact that on MySpace you can follow your favorite music artists, listen to the newest songs and watch the latest and coolest videos. You can also talk to your friends, comment, and rate and, in short, interact socially with your friends. But you can do all this on Facebook as well, and on Twitter too. The only reason why MySpace is surviving, admittedly declining in popularity but still going on was because of the music (something you cannot get on Twitter or Facebook). And now it seems that Apple has sounded the death knell for MySpace after releasing its Ping social music platform.

All about Ping

Ping was launched in September. It was released with iTunes 10, which has an estimated 160 million users worldwide. Because of this strong user base that was already present, it has become wildly popular in no time at all (a great marketing ploy by Steve Jobs- got to hand it to him!). It is available through all Apple platforms like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and, of course, on the computer. According to Steve Jobs, Ping is an integration of Twitter and Facebook- except for music, not social networking. Just like Facebook, Ping features news feed (Recent Activity) of what your friends have been up to, the music they have heard lately, and the videos they have seen.

What Makes Ping ping?

Of course, Ping features the vast iTunes library, and a user will never run out of songs. It features a list of custom songs as well as album charts, so that users can keep track of the most popular music and albums. The fact that users can interact freely and discuss on their favorite songs is an added bonus.

Why can Ping destroy MySpace?

Now, most popular artists have a presence on MySpace. It helps them connect better with their audience and, of course, helps them sell more songs and earn more money. But where are songs sold? Why, mostly through iTunes of course! And if the user is being directed to iTunes when he wishes to buy a song, he may well decide to stay there and use Ping.

Also, if artists integrate better with iTunes, they may get the iTunes’ users to order from within the Ping platform itself. There won’t be any need for them to have a presence on MySpace anymore.

Is the Destruction of MySpace Imminent?

All things considered, MySpace may not be destroyed, but may have to face a further decline in popularity. iTunes is not the sole channel for buying music online; people also buy from other sources like Amazon. Artists cannot disregard this fact. The recent innovations and changes MySpace is introducing will help protect it further. All websites have a core bunch of loyal users, and MySpace is no exception. In the future, MySpace will have to constantly innovate and redesign to face competition from Ping and other social websites.