News : New iPhone music to users' ears

By Antony Bruno

DENVER (Billboard) - When it was unveiled in June, Apple's new iPhone didn't appear to offer anything new for music fans.

But thanks to the subsequent launch of the App Store on iTunes, iPhone users can download a host of applications to add new functions to the device. Many of them are music-oriented and all are made specifically for the iPhone.

The weekend after the new iPhone's release, more than 10 million applications were downloaded through the App Store. Some are free, some carry a fee, and most also work on the Wi-Fi-compatible iPod Touch.

Here are some of the more notable music apps available. All are free, unless otherwise noted.

PANDORA

The personalized Internet radio service created an app for the iPhone that allows Pandora users to access and stream all their stations, as well as create new ones. It quickly became the third-most-popular free download in the App Store's first week.

AOL RADIO

This app lets users stream any AOL or CBS Radio stations via the iPhone's Wi-Fi connection. CBS stations can also be streamed over the wireless network connection on new models, and the company plans to add wireless-network support for AOL Radio streams soon.

LAST.FM

The streaming music site offers an app that provides access to the same catalog of full-song streaming as the Web-based version of the service, as well as links to purchase tracks on iTunes via a Wi-Fi connection, the ability to share songs with other Last.fm users and access to artist info like bios, upcoming events, etc.

SHAZAM

A pioneer in the music ID market, Shazam allows users to learn the title and artist of virtually any song by simply holding up the iPhone's microphone to a music source. Users can tag songs they like to a saved list of favorites, buy them straight from iTunes, find related music videos on YouTube and send track details to friends.

MIDOMI MOBILE

This music discovery engine lets fans find songs by singing or humming a few bars, saying or typing the name of a song or artist, or playing a recording through the iPhone's microphone. Once a song is identified, the app allows users to buy it on iTunes, watch the song's video on YouTube or view an artist's bio, photos or other related info.

MOOCOWMUSIC: BAND

This $9.99 app generated a lot of excitement when demonstrated at a recent Apple conference. Users can create their own music using virtual instruments on the iPhone's touch screen, such as guitar strings and piano keys. Final tracks can be mixed and saved for later playback.

INTUNA, GUITARTOOLKIT

InTuna ($4.99) and GuitarToolkit ($9.99) turn the iPhone into a guitar tuner, using the device's built-in microphone to recognize chords and notes. GuitarToolkit includes a metronome function.

TAP TAP REVENGE

A sort of "Guitar Hero" for the iPhone. Players must tap keys or shake the device in one direction or another to the rhythm of the playing song.

JAMD

Getty Images has been making its catalog of celebrity photos available to the public through its Jamd.com Web site. Under the Jamd banner, Getty has created an app to enable iPhone users to browse and buy celebrity photos on the device.

Reuters/Billboard