Is Facebook Blocking The iTunes Ping?

Apple doesn't have many friends in the tech industry, well other than Oracle chief Larry who recently pulled some strings attached to Android, pain in Apple's neck.

Facebook has joined the bandwagon. There are reports that Facebook is allegedly blocking access to Apple's Last.fm rip-off iTunes Ping. (It's a bad start for Ping)

As we know, Apple is not a social service company. It is ruthless profit making company which believes in totalitarian and dictatorship model and doesn't take any hostages.

But why did Facebook allegedly blocked iTunes Ping? According to reports Apple and Facebook were in talks about Apple gaining access to Facebook's users via Ping. But the deal could not materialize because of Apple not agreeing to some of Facebook's terms. Quite fair. But, instead of waiting for Facebook's deal, Apple went ahead and launched Ping.
 
Mac Observer reports, "Now it appears that Apple went ahead with its plan to include Facebook friend searching in Ping, only to be blocked once the service went live, according to unnamed sources familiar with the situation. Once Apple realized Ping had been blocked from accessing Facebooks APIs coders pulled the feature out of iTunes."
 
It seems Apple is tasting its own bitter pill. The company ended Adobe Flash's career on iOS. The company unsuccessfully tried to block Google Voice app; successfully diluted Skype's existence on iOS devices by imitating it as FaceTime, and also kept Google's AdMob out by tweaking iAds policies.

I do trust that the two companies will reach an agreement. It may only remain my fantasy to read Mr Job's 'Thoughts on Facebook'.

Can Apple afford to block another 800 pound gorilla called Facebook from its platform? I don't think so.

What are Apple fans thinking? Are they emotional over the issue and blame Facebook for this?