Apple Radio Buttons Discovered in New iOS Code (Report)

Apple may be hinting at a radio feature brought to mobile devices

Apple appears to have a radio feature in the pipeline for iPad and iPhone.

AppleCode found in a newly jailbroken iPad contains references to "radio," a feature until now only found in iTunes on Macs and PCs — not mobile devices.

The buttons, first spotted Monday by 9to5Mac, fuel new speculation about Apple's long-awaited radio service, which would put iTunes in direct competition with streaming services like Pandora and Spotify.

Also read: Apple Posts $13.1B Profit, but iPhone Sales Disappoint

While a variety of apps available on the App Store allow users to listen to live radio streams, this seems to indicate that Apple will launch its own, native service that will come standard in future iOS devices.

The mysterious code was found in a jailbroken version on iOS 6.1, the new operating system update released by Apple last week. Jailbroken devices are hacked into, allowing software not approved to Apple to be used on the gadget.

Apple should be hungry for an innovative new product after record iPhone sales failed to meet analysts' high predictions in the last fiscal quarter, sending stock prices lower.

Apple did not immediately reply to requests from TheWrap for comment.

Comments