Tech giant has launched its new social music discovery service named Ping which is integrated with its online music store iTunes 10, on Wednesday.

Ping is seen as a much simpler service regarding privacy issues when compared to social networking site, Facebook. Ping however offers much lesser services. It comes off as default and the users will have to turn it on from the source list on the left-hand side of the main iTunes window.

A message pops up describing the service and a button turn it on. When the user switches the service on a step by step wizard takes the user through all the account ad privacy settings. The service requires the user to fill name and gender while the other fields like location, photo, and bio are optional. If the user changes the name in the Ping account it changes the billing name for your entire iTunes account. The user can also specify whether the account should display that they have rated, reviewed, or bought on the iTunes Store and also they hide what type of music they like from their friends.

Ping allows users to choose if someone can follow them and also turn of following all together. When the user allows others to follow them they can see the e-mail address in addition to name and profile photo of the user.

When the user turns off the follow option the email address or photo is used only at some instances like if the user chooses to comment on something. Apple also approves the photos on the basis of what is written in the profile.

Ping is completely integrated with iTunes and cannot be used out side. The developers can not design clients for it and not apps can be added which makes its safer. Meanwhile some users are complaining over the confusion over the finding people on Facebook connect to follow on ping. According to some users, when the service was launch it offered a "find friends via Facebook or e-mail" feature but it was removed later. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has indicated that he could agree to some terms of Facebook.