Apple Music Streaming Service launched, Beats 1 to be its first radio station

Apple had revolutionized digital music with its iTunes and iPods, providing stiff competition to the CD industry. Now the company is joining the new age of subscription music by jumping into the music streaming bandwagon. Apple announced Apple Music, its music-streaming app, at the WWDC with the tagline, “All the Ways You Love Music. All in One Place.”  Music downloads, streaming music and radio have all been combined into a single app.

Apple’s new music streaming service will take on existing providers like Spotify with ambitious plans to get at least 100 million global subscribers. Currently, Spotify dominates the market with more than 60 million users of which about 15 million are paid subscribers.

Apple will transfer users of the existing Beats Music streaming service over to Apple music service. Also, when you are buying albums or songs from iTunes, you will get an option to subscribe to the Apple Music streaming service. The existing iTunes radio has been rebuilt to a live radio station and the company has roped in well known music artists such as Zane Lowe, Dr. Dre, Pharrell, will.i.am, Drake, Muse and David Guetta as DJs.

Apple’s first radio station will be Beats 1 and it will be broadcast in more than 100 countries 24×7. The creative minds behind the Beats 1 radio are Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden and Julie Adenuga. Check out the video ad below:

As the earlier leaks suggested, the music app has been totally revamped. A mini player is constantly present at the bottom of the screen showing you what is playing at the time but you can remove it with a swipe if you don’t want it. There is new album artwork which can also be swiped away. It also has a For You section, which shows curated suggestions after the app has learnt about your music tastes.

There will be thousands of HD quality music videos, which you can run directly from there. There will also be a feature called Connect in the new app that allows artists to have a social network page where they will be able to upload music, photos, videos, messages and status updates. This page can be shared with their fans.

As for charges, the Apple Music streaming service will cost $9.99 a month as was rumored earlier. A family plan for up to 6 members will cost $14.99 but for this, you must have iCloud family sharing to be active. However, you can listen to Beats 1 radio, follow your favorite artists on Connect or tune in to ad-supported stations even if you don’t have a subscription.

Apple Music Streaming Service launched, Beats 1 to be its first radio station

Apple working with Beats to develop Streaming Music Service to take on Spotify

Apple had acquired Beats, a company making hip headphones and speaker products as well as offering a streaming music service, back in August 2014 for a sum of $3 billion. There were reports that Apple was planning to refurbish Beats and integrate it with iTunes. It was also rumored that the streaming service would be overhauled by Apple and launched with an entirely new design and concept.

The New York Times reports that Apple is teaming up with Beats executives and engineers to make sweeping changes to its digital music services and launch its own subscription music streaming service that will rival current services such as Spotify, Rdio and Rhapsody. The subscription prices haven’t been announced as yet but Apple won’t keep the prices lower than the rival services.

Apparently, Apple had tried to convince the record labels to reduce their licensing costs but failed. This was disclosed to the New York Times by some music executives on the condition of anonymity. Lower licensing costs would have enabled Apple to offer its streaming service subscriptions for $8 per month instead of $10 that is standard for other similar services.

The Cupertino giant also plans to upgrade its iTunes Radio and tailor it to provide region-specific content to listeners. Apple is trying to get the best new albums on iTunes first before others get them.

The company has made a musician and former chief creative officer Trent Raznor a point man for redesigning iPhone’s music app. Zane Lowe, erstwhile DJ of BBC Radio 1 will be playing a major role in re configuring the iTunes Radio and making it more regionally targeted like the traditional radio stations.

Currently, Apple is the largest music retailer and iTunes has over 800 million customer accounts. However, Apple has lagged behind in offering streaming services where the Swedish company Spotify has got a head start. Apple’s streaming service is not going to offer free music like Spotify, which has made major music labels happy.

Apple’s new streaming service doesn’t have a name yet but the name “Beat Music” is expected to be dropped. The service is likely to be launched sometime this year. Word is that it will be a part of Apple’s next iOS, the iOS 9 and will launch with its next iPhone.

Apple working with Beats to develop Streaming Music Service to take on Spotify