Apple’s Ping social network will reportedly come to an end alongside the next release of iTunes, according tech site All Things Digital .
Ping had intentions to be Apple’s launch into the social media market, offering users an all-in-one experience that integrated their music and friends into one happy category. However, after Apple claimed over 1 million users in the first 48-hours, the social media service hit a giant brick wall.
Many users complained that the service felt more commercialized than it should, opting to stick with the simplicity of Twitter, or their already established Facebook accounts. Those feelings, coupled with the problems that Ping users faced with spam caused for a quick demise to Apple’s usually successful venture.
Commenting on the service at the D10 conference, Apple CEO Tim Cook gave indications that discussions about the end of the service had certainly been had, revealing that Ping didn’t turn out as successful as they hoped it would.
“We tried Ping, and I think the customer voted and said this isn’t something I want to put a lot of energy into,” said Cook.
Still currently functioning in iTunes latest release of 10.6.3, sources inform All Things D that Ping will completely disappear with the next major release of the software which will most likely be iTunes 11.
Additionally, reports indicate that Ping is no longer functional in the developer release of iOS 6 that is set to be released this fall, which seems to be a clear sign that the social media venture is no longer a priority.
With the announcement of full Facebook integration into iOS 6 at WWDC, it certainly seems that Apple’s Ping has seen its last days.
Did you enjoy Apple’s Ping service? If not, what do you dislike about it?