iTunes 11.1 beta arrives with iTunes Radio built in

Right on the heels of iOS 7 beta 4 for developers comes the release of iTunes 11.1 in beta mode, appearing this afternoon with iTunes Radio ready for action. Announced at Apple's developer event WWDC 2013, iTunes Radio is a personalized streaming music internet radio station service that becomes more personalized the more the user listens to it. This system will also be built-in and/or available to the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, and Apple TV.

With iTunes Radio comes the requirement for OS X 10.7 or later, and usability limited to the USA for for time being. Inside you'll see such categories as '80s Dancy Party, Artists on Tour, Decade of iTunes, and simple concepts like "Alternative." There's connectivity with Twitter's "#music" initiative with a category called Trending on Twitter as well.

You'll be able to make your own radio stations with music you own, this service connecting with iTunes Match for advertisement-free streaming. There's also a free version of iTunes Radio with "the occasional ad", as Apple notes. With iTunes Match, music is all uploaded to Apple's iCloud where it can be streamed with a web connection.

While there will be exclusive iTunes Radio songs and Siri will be able to work to command the changing and updating of stations, at the moment the service is limited. It's time for developers to test this service out well before the public is able to get their hands on it. Time to connect Apple TV-based iTunes Radio to the desktop.

IMAGE VIA: 9to5Mac