Apple’s New Music Service: No Free Version Likely

It is doubtful that later on today at the Apple ‘Spring Forward’ event, the world’s most valuable company will launch their much anticipated music streaming service. It is more likely it will be later on in the year at WWDC when they will open up the new service which will incorporate technology from Beats Music. This new service will no doubt mark the end of the current streaming service, which Apple had adopted when it acquired the Beats brand. 

According to a new report the upcoming service is not going to have a free subscription tier in the business model. This is where the user can listen to as much music as they want to, as long as they can deal with ads. If you are one of the many people who use the ‘free’ subscription service, then I guess it’s time to start putting aside money in your budget.

Numerous music streaming services, such as Spotify and Pandora, allow people to access music even if they can’t afford to pay for it. People who receive an ad-supported music experience are limited to only a certain number of track ‘skips’ per day and are forced to listen to the aforementioned ads.

According to sources who have spoken with Apple’s Eddy Cue and Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine, Apple is informing music labels that it can help them to “get behind a paywall.” Record labels are reportedly not happy at all, with how easily people can access free music via services such as Spotify and YouTube.

If these rumours turn out to be true, then it is looking like Apple will not allow their subscribers to listen to music for free. I think that there will still be a ‘free’ trial period, but as soon as that has ended, if they want to continue accessing music via Apple. they will then have to to pay for it.

It has been suggested that Apple is going to begin the service with a lower subscription price, maybe around the $8 mark, to undercut rivals.

Apple is expected to launch its new music streaming service this coming June at the Worldwide Developers Conference. As usual TechBeat will be covering the event, so be sure to check back for the highs (and possible lows) of the event.

[image via entrepreneur]

SOURCE: Recode