Apple Music: Apple's streaming music service Overview Updated October 17, 2016
Apple Music is Apple’s music streaming service that was first introduced at WWDC 2015. The service launched that same summer and positions Apple as a direct competitor to services like Spotify and Google Play Music. Apple Music allows users to access millions of tracks instantly, for a set monthly rate. Music can be downloaded for offline listening, as well as streamed from the cloud.
Apple Music is accessible via the built-in iOS Music app, which gets a major redesign with iOS 10, as well as with iTunes on the Mac and PC. While some have called for Apple to break Apple Music into a separate app, especially on the Mac, the company has shown no signs of being willing to do that. Apple Music is also available on Android, making it the first Apple service to come to Google’s mobile operating system.
Alongside Apple Music, Apple introduced an always-on streaming radio service called Beats 1. Spearheaded by Zane Lowe, Beats 1 features a wide array of shows, many of which are hosted by celebrities such as DJ Khaled, Elton John, and Pharrell. Beats 1 doesn’t require an Apple Music subscription, however, and is accessible to everyone via iTunes and the Music app.
Apple Music is $9.99 per month for one user, while a family plan is also available for $14.99. Students also get a steep discount, with a student tier offering the service for just $4.99. Best of all, there’s a 3-month free trial.
With a massive song library, integration into the familiar Music app, and deep discounts on family plans, Apple Music has positioned itself as a true competitor to Spotify.
Read our full review here.
338 Apple Music: Apple's streaming music service stories
April 2015 - October 2016
Apple Music Stories Today
AAPL: 117.55
Apple Music creative director and Beats 1 head Zane Lowe has today been announced as a keynote speaker for the 2017 South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The event takes place from March 10th through March 19th, though it’s unclear when Lowe’s presentation will be (via Billboard).
Apple Music Stories October 13
AAPL: 116.98
When Apple first revealed Apple Music, one of the aspects I was most excited about was the always-on Beats 1 streaming station. I wrote in detail how it was the feature that could help Apple Music stand out from the competition. Throughout the past year and a half, however, it feels as if Apple has seriously neglected Beats 1, seemingly giving it no attention since the initial unveil.
Apple Music Stories October 12
AAPL: 117.34
Following an earlier Apple Music ad starring James Corden, Jimmy Iovine, Eddy Cue, and Bozoma Saint John, Apple today shared a new ad for the service. The newest video focuses on the changes that came to Apple Music with iOS 10 and comes in at 1 minute and 21 seconds.
Amazon has launched its own music streaming service today called Amazon Music Unlimited for $9.99/month, adding another worthy competitor to Apple Music and Spotify. The service offers access to tens of millions of songs from major labels like Sony, Universal and Warner. Music Unlimited features a 30 day free trial so you can give it a go without committing any money for the first month. On iOS, users access their streaming libraries through the Amazon Music app.
Amazon is incentivizing signups with some discounts for loyal Amazon users. If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, then Music Unlimited is cheaper: just $7.99 per month. If you use Amazon Echo smart speakers in your home, you can also sign up to a dramatically cheaper $3.99 monthly plan, but this option limits music streaming to only Echo devices.
Apple Music Stories October 11
AAPL: 116.30
Apple Music just received a major refresh with iOS 10, but Jimmy Iovine has said in the past that the team behind the service is still working to make everything perfect. In a new interview with Billboard, Iovine discussed the future of Apple Music, as well as the team behind it…
Apple Music Stories October 6
AAPL: 113.89
Apple originally struck a deal with music rights company Dubset back in March, but now the company is officially putting that deal to use. Today, Apple Music started supporting single-track remixes, something that SoundCloud has long used to differentiate itself from other services, TechCrunch reports. Additionally, Spotify is also now supporting single-track remixes.
