My baseless suspicion is that Ping, like iTunes LP, is just something Apple did to keep the record industry happy. Someone important probably had a revelation,

My baseless suspicion is that Ping, like iTunes LP, is just something Apple did to keep the record industry happy. Someone important probably had a revelation, 5 years too late, that they need to get in on that social thing the kids like so much and Apple was more than happy to placate them. I agree with Gruber that it could turn into something more down the road but at this point Apple's heart obviously isn't in it. Maybe because all the pieces aren't in place yet. I could imagine Ping looking a lot more like Lala 6 months from now when all the right deals are signed.