If you’re looking to stream your iTunes collection to up to 30 friends, a new app called SimplifyMedia from a company of the same name will let you do just that.
SimplifyMedia claims its new software is legal because songs are only streamed and not sent out to the entire population, but just a group of 30 friends. To further cover itself, it claims the app will not stream DRM-protected iTunes purchases.
But just because SimplifyMedia thinks it won’t need to worry about Apple or any other App Store headache, is that necessarily true?
There has been a glaring gray area so far with the App Store and developers and consumers alike have wondered how Apple decides which apps will stay and those that will not. The company has already removed NullRiver’s NetShare without giving any reason and BoxOffice was mysteriously removed, then replaced on the App Store with nary a mention from the Apple camp.
And although SimplifyMedia looks to be one of those apps that a slew of people will want to use, it doesn’t strike me as one that Apple will allow. Sure, it only streams songs that aren’t copy-protected, but it does so to 30 friends, and chances are, the music industry and even Apple won’t be too happy about that if there isn’t a limit to the number of times a song can be streamed.
Regardless, we’ve once again hit a wall in the face of the App Store. What will Apple allow and what will it not? What is fine and what is not? We just don’t know.
And that needs to change. Immediately.