Apple Daily: Apple TV and Beats Reboot Rumors; More on 3rd-party Watchbands

In today's Apple Daily, insider sources claims that Apple may not have its rebranded steaming music service ready in time for WWDC. In other news, the next Apple TV remote is rumored to have a touch pad, and Apple finally releases specifications for third-party Apple Watch bands as part of a new "Made for Apple Watch" program.

Apple May Not Have New Streaming Music Service Ready By WWDC

Things have quieted down a bit now that the Apple Watch is out, but one of the things to look forward to would undoubtedly be the upcoming release of Apple's rebranded streaming music service. But if sources who spoke with Billboard are correct, there's a good chance we might not actually see this service debut at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

According to the sources, Apple still hasn't acquired the necessary licensing agreements to greenlight the new service. One source goes on to say that "June won't be the release date. The deals aren't done." Another source, however, believes that "if any company can pull it off, [Apple] can." The Cupertino company has been able to pull off last-minute deals in the past, other sources note, and "labels are more likely to play hard ball" with Apple because of the company's reputation for generating revenue for rights holders.

Rumors surrounding the transformation of Beats Music have been in the news a lot lately, and just yesterday we reported that other industry sources claim that Apple is trying to convince streaming competitors like Spotify to abandon their free tiers in what appears to be a bid to ensure an easier entry into the market. These alleged actions have reportedly drawn the attention of government watchdogs at the U.S. Department of Justice and the European Commission, who are both said to be investigating Apple's associated practices.

Next Apple TV Said to Feature Touchscreen Remote

The other bit of exciting Apple news in the pipeline is the rumored relaunch of the Apple TV at this year's WWDC, and it's generally considered a given that the device will ship with its own remote. But this possibly won't be another minimalistic button-mashing affair; according to a new report from The New York Times, the remote will be based around a touch pad that will allow users to navigate menus more easily and possibly open up some additional options as well.

According to an unidentified Apple employee, the device will be slightly thicker than the current remote, which would make it about the same size as Amazon's remote for its Echo wireless speaker. In addition to the touch pad, the device will also feature two physical buttons. The current Apple TV remote has a mere three buttons, and the article calls attention to how Apple uses it as a case study at Apple University to highlight the company's commitment to simple but useful design. By contrast, the Google TV's remote had a whopping 78 buttons.

Apple Releases Guidelines for Third-Party Apple Watch Bands

Only a day after we watched Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy use the Classic and Modern Buckle bands for the Apple Watch to attach a non-Apple watchband, Apple has posted a support page on, yes, "Creating Bands for Apple Watch." The page marks the beginnings of a "Made for Apple Watch" program in much the same mindset as its existing "Made for iPhone" (MFI) program. As with MFI, Apple won't approve the products created under the service unless they meet its own standards of excellence.

The page is comparatively simple, as it merely includes a 13-page PDF for "Band Design Guidelines for Apple Watch" and an Apple Watch Lug Profile. Apple notes that "Apple Watch lugs will be available soon through the Made for Apple Watch program." Companies are apparently allowed to make their own logs, although Apple will optionally supply its own. Considering Apple's standards, it might just be better to get them from Cupertino.

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