Technology News

The WSJ reports that Warner Music Group owner Access Industries, Vivendi’s Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment have each acquired $3 million stakes in Shazam Entertainment, the music-identification app, according to people familiar with the transactions. All of the shares were purchased from a single third-party investor. Read more.

And Hypebot reports that Apple is reportedly preparing high-definition audio playback for iOS8, according to Japanese website Mac Otakara. The announcement is expected to be made at their World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June. Apple’s current music application for iOS 7 cannot handle high-quality 24-bit audio files with a rate above 48 kHz, according to MacRumors and its present earbuds would also require a major redesign to accommodate the high-definition audio.

And the programme of musicians due to speak at the the fifteenth SF MusicTech Summit. due to take place in San Francisco later this month,  have been announced. Amongst them are Gang Of Four's Dave Allen (also a Beats Music's Artist Advocate), Universal-signed Vine stars Us, prolific session drummer Elmo Lovano, singer-songwriter and blogger Ari Herstand, and Magik*Magik Orchestra artistic director Minna Choi.