Apple is shuttering its iTunes-based social network Ping on September 30th and is no longer accepting new members to the service. Ping was originally launched in 2010 as a way for Apple to bring features like social recommendations to iTunes following a public breakdown in negotiations that would have brought native Facebook sharing to the software. Rumors of Ping’s end first appeared back in June.

With OS-level Facebook and Twitter integration in OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, and Facebook Likes in the new version of iTunes coming in October, there are few reasons for Apple to pursue its own social network. Back at the D10 conference in May, Apple CEO Tim Cook said of Ping, "I think the customer voted and said this isn’t something I want to put a lot of energy into," adding that Apple doesn’t "need to have a social network."