Apple has announced a partnership with iBiquity Digital and major radio broadcasting groups to create an industry-wide service called iTunes Tagging. iTunes Tagging lets users who are using HD Radio receivers that have been equipped with a special Tag button to “tag” songs that they hear on the FM dial for subsequent purchase via iTunes.
“iTunes tagging takes music discovery on the radio to the next level,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPod Product Marketing. “When a song plays on your HD Radio that you like, a simple push of a button will tag it and later give you the chance to preview, purchase, and enjoy it with iTunes and your iPod.” Bob Struble, CEO of iBiquity Digital, the developer of HD Radio technology, said, “Research consistently shows that radio is the predominant source of music discovery.
Now, with iTunes Tagging, HD Radio technology provides a cool new way to capture the songs listeners discover, buy them on iTunes and then enjoy them.” Both JBL and Polk have announced support for iTunes Tagging in their upcoming iHD and I-Sonic products; in addition, several major broadcasters have pledged support for iTunes Tagging, and will implement the feature, initially, across hundreds of stations. More announcements concerning iTunes Tagging can be expected at the NAB Radio Convention, which runs September 26-28.
