Twitter and Apple are now syncing up to let iTunes users of the Ping social network port their posts as Twitter tweets, a pairing that could spur Facebook to connect with Ping.
Twitter said Nov. 11 that it is now connecting with Ping,
the Apple iTunes music social network that failed to get in sync with Facebook
earlier this year.
Based on the technology Apple acquired from Lala, Ping is packaged as part
of the new iTunes 10. The social software lets users follow iTunes' 160 million
users to find out what music they're listening to or what playlists they're
creating.
Ping and Twitter users may now feed their Ping
activity, including song previews and links to purchase and download music from
the iTunes store via tweets on Twitter.com.
Ping users can now link their Twitter account to find
other Ping users they may already follow on Twitter,
according to Twitter's Kevin Thau, who runs business and
corporate development for the microblog.
When Ping users post, like, review or tell friends
why they've purchased a song or album on Ping, the
activity will also be tweeted to Twitter followers along with song previews and
links to purchase and download music from iTunes.
When Ping users click on a tweet sent via Ping
or that contains an iTunes link, they will see the song or album in Twitter's
details pane. Users may then listen to the song previews from iTunes.
Integrations between Twitter and social networks are nothing new as the
microblog seeks to build on its user base of 175 million people.
For example, APIs allow users to import Twitter tweets into Facebook Web
pages, LinkedIn social network pages and Google Buzz social conversation.
What's more interesting here is that Twitter has found purchase with Ping
where Facebook did not.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs
told AllThingsDigital in September that he tried to ink a
Facebook deal with Ping, but the terms of that contract
were "onerous."
A match between the world's top digital music store and leading social
network is too valuable for Apple and Facebook to give up on.
Expect the deal for Ping to pair the iTunes big user
base with Twitter's to rekindle Apple's discussions with Facebook on Ping,
if they even ceased at all.
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