14 DAY TRIAL // More details about Facebook's media integration plans have surfaced. The site is expected to announce deep integration with music services like Spotify and Rdio at its F8 developers conference.
Several reports, citing anonymous sources, have surfaced indicating that Facebook's announcement is coming on September 22.
Rumors about Spotify integration first started even before the music streaming service was launched in the US.
The latest details complete the picture, but don't add too much new info. Music services will be integrated with the site, much like Facebook apps already are.
Users will be able to share their favorite tracks, artists or listening habits with their friends.
They will be able to listen to songs on Facebook.com, via player apps provided by the partners, though some services will urge users to go to their dedicated site, at least to access some of the features.
Facebook has no plans of offering a music streaming service of its own, or anything related to that. Rather, it wants to create a platform for media applications and services.
It will start with music and it already has several partners lined up including Spotify, Rdio and MOG. There may be others and Facebook plans to make the platform open, so anyone will be able to join and offer their apps, in theory.
Facebook's plans go beyond music, rumors say. While it may start out with music, it is thinking about other content as well, such as TV shows, movies and so on.
Some previous rumors also spoke about a news initiative at Facebook, which would bring the stories to the site via dedicated apps, rather than having users to leave Facebook and read them elsewhere.
Facebook isn't saying anything at this point, except to point out that it already has an app platform which developers are welcomed to use.
"There’s nothing new to announce," Facebook said in a statement. "Many of the most popular music services around the world are integrated with Facebook and we’re constantly talking to our partners about ways to improve these integrations," it added.