Adam Haworth:
We all know Ping is kind of shit. Well, not kind of. It is shit. But I’ve been thinking recently (dangerous, I know) and I reckon there are a few ways that it can be rescued. Apple’s failed attempt at “social” is not dead yet.
I don’t think Apple knows what to do with Ping. That seems clear because users don’t know what to do with it either. I don’t know that a separate app is the way to go because social networking and sharing is such an impulsive decision — it almost has to be done on the spot.
I say kill it …
I’m all for streamlining iTunes (whether that means spinning Ping out and developing it more or out right killing Ping). As far as Ping, it had some interesting ideas but it seemed a tad too focused on only being a replacement for the automated music suggestion algorithms to sell iTunes Store music rather than being a place for people to share and also happens to sell iTunes Store music passively.
The only way I could see Ping being successful is:
1. If it’s just a feature in greater social networking plans Apple may have for iCloud (if the WSJ rumor is to be believed). I don’t know if that means having iOS user pages or bringing back iWeb.
2. Allow for the ability to create and share playlists where another iOS user can listen to each track once before buying it. I think Google music has a somewhat similar feature.
I’m not sure if Ping can be successful compared to the frictionless sharing that can exist with services like Spotify.
iTunes is my problem with it. That made it a non-starter from jump.
Spotify FTW.
I actually use it every once in a while, mainly to post info on a tune I like to Twitter. Inevitably people are surprised.
They shouldn’t kill it. They need to have integration for people to ping tracks from iTunes/ music app and “scrobble” like last fm
Can we just have Apple focus on making Music Match a better service? You know, since it’s paid for and such? I’ve had nothing but issues with it from day one. 🙁 Google Music/Play/Whatever isn’t much better.
Edit: iTunes Match
I agree with Ro, they should not kill it. They have it in place, they just need to grow it beyond music. Apple is just so terrible at social and web…they just suck at it. They need to poach some Google engineers to bring a better web experience first.
I have bought tunes from Ping info from people I follow. I have found out about bands of which I was unaware.
Is it popular? No. Is it shit? Hardly. Facebook is immensely popular and the second most common traffic on Facebook is people bitching about Facebook changing it’s interface. Ping didn’t take off like Apple’s hardware and that makes it shit and a failure? Not even.
I really don’t understand this meme that Apple is “terrible at social and the web”. Never mind whether it’s even Apple’s job to add to the noise of existing social networking choices, since the majority of mobile traffic is on iOS devices, I’d say Apple is doing damn fine on the web, social or otherwise.
Apple sucks at web. Google rules. It’s not a core business. Period. If you don’t understand the “meme”, you don’t understand Apple. Look on the discussion forums on Apple, and see the massive complaints and horrible functionality of iCloud web apps.
I think Apple should do the same they did with MobileMe -> iCloud. Start over. Ping has really something in it, unfortunately Apple don’t know what it is.
I built an iOS app called SoundShare because I got tired of waiting for Apple to “fix” Ping.
Google rules at web? Ignoring the Killing Fields of dead Google initiatives littering the virtual landscape, and leaving Google+ alone, Google, being a company whose products only exist on the web, had better be good at the web.
If you don’t understand the “meme”
I understand the meme. I’m saying it’s bullshit.
the massive complaints and horrible functionality of iCloud web apps.
The horrible functionality of 5 apps on a web site out for about 10 months, based on discussion forums? The web “apps” that are currently little more than a place to store files? Spare me the histrionics.
And hey, how about that iTunes store? You know, one of the largest online retail shops in the world, with a global reach? The company that changed the way music was purchased? The one where the purchase of content seamlessly works across their entire product line? Remember that the next time you claim Apple doesn’t “get” the web.
You can’t ignore MobileMe years of fail.
I certainly can, since “years of fail” is based on it’s problematic launch. By that metric, Google Mail is an ongoing shit show because up until recently, Mail couldn’t handle attachments to save it’s life.
1) what does google have to do with this conversation anyway?
2) I’ve been a Gmail user for years now with no attachment probs.
3) No one would EVER compare Gmail to MobileMe or iCloud mail. That sir is a good non-starter. Forget attachments, just stay online.
Mind you, I was a MobileMe user the entire time it existed. Service as a whole, I liked. Web offering, aside from find my phone, was a one or two time use.
1) what does google have to do with this conversation
I guess you weren’t here for the part where Google was used as an example of a company “getting” the web.
I’ve been a Gmail user for years now with no attachment probs
I don’t care. Alternatively, way to miss the point.
No one would EVER compare Gmail to MobileMe or iCloud mail.
Funny, as I just did. Up there a level or two.
As Jim would say: You lose. lol.
Yes, I saw Google was discussed above but we weren’t discussing it, per se.
You made a claim about attachments just now starting to work. I stated it is not the case with me. That’s all.
Let me restate my last statement:
Only YOU would EVER compare Gmail to MobileMe or iCloud mail.
Yes, I saw Google was discussed
Thank you. Run along.