Trent Reznor and Dr. Dre are one step closer to controlling the world’s music-loving brains. As reported earlier this year, the two are teaming up to launch a new streaming service, now just called Beats. The program should launch this summer, boasting an intelligence that sounds scarily HAL 9000-esque. Beats-co-founder Jimmy Iovine said yesterday at a media conference that the system seeks to “marry math with emotion” by offering personalized curation and playlists to users. Everyone hates making choices, after all.
But while some musical guidance sounds innocent enough, Beats goes much further than just another spin on the iTunes Genius function. It also uses GPS to track its users, always knowing exactly where you are and, eventually, learning your habits. Iovine says, “If you go to the gym, we’ll know where you are. So when you wake up in the morning, there will be a list waiting for you.” The lists will be available for a myriad of situations, including Reznor’s example, “driving through Memphis.”
So far, it’s unclear how much being watched at all times by Beats' omniscient eye will cost, but Iovine says the company will probably “charge the same thing as everybody else… $10 a month or whatever it is.”