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Apple Music could be getting more Beats Music stations soon
Beats 1's radio broadcasts were a key selling point when Apple Music was first announced. Now, it appears Apple is expanding with new radio options. In a series of filings, the company applied for trademarks covering both the names and logos of Beats 2, Beats 3, Beats 4 and Beats 5, which means we could be seeing up to four new stations in the near future. The applications, which were filed last month, follow reports that Apple's agreements with record labels allow it to add five new radio stations without having to negotiate new contracts.
Beats Music confirms it will fade out on November 30th
Now that Apple Music is firmly in place (and even on Android) it's time for Beats Music to go. An app update back in June greased the skids and an updated support page -- as well as emails going out to Sonos users reiterating the Apple Music support is coming soon -- notes the shutdown will occur on November 30th. That's a little over a year after Apple completed its acquisition of the music company, and five months since its replacement first appeared on the scene. If you're still subscribing then your plan will just cancel, but it's possible to move picks and preferences to Apple Music right now. [Thanks, Eddie]
Apple won't pay royalties during Music's trial period
A leaked Apple Music contract surfaced last week containing details about how it plans to compensate indie labels for music streamed during the trial period. According to the document Apple won't pay royalties to independent music labels -- or unsigned artists, we'd imagine -- while users test drive the app. Re/code confirmed that the company won't pay royalties to any labels, major or indie, for tracks users stream during the trial in an interview with Apple's Robert Kondrk, an executive who is in on the negotiations.
Apple Music unites streaming, radio and social for $10 a month
It's finally here. Well, it will be soon, but at least the announcement is official. At WWDC today, Jimmy Iovine revealed Apple Music: the long-rumored music service that follows the purchase of Beats last year and it provides all of your music content in a single app. That's a streaming service, radio, album purchases and more all in the same place. Yes, you read that correctly: radio. Apple will offer live radio 24 hours a day with stations that are curated by real humans -- like Beats Music's playlists. What's more, over 30 million iTunes songs will be available for streaming or saving for listening offline. There are recommendations based on your listening habits too, but instead of using some algorithm to find something you may like, experts "who know and love music" will serve up the suggestions. For artists, Apple Music has Connect where they can post exclusive tracks, tour photos, new material and more, giving fans a glance at what's going on behind the scenes. So, what about unsigned artists? They can share music through Apple's new effort, too.
Apple's new music service will reportedly cost $10 a month
Rumors that Apple is going to debut its retooled music offering at WWDC next week are nothing new. However, in a report by The Wall Street Journal comes word that the streaming service will be priced at $10 a month when it's announced in a matter of days. That would put the unlimited Beats Music/iTunes listening option right in line with Spotify, Rdio and Tidal in terms of pricing. Previous reports indicated that Apple thought Beats' price was too high, but it seems knocking a few dollars off of the monthly subscription may not be part of the strategy to lure new users.
Apple may be under FTC investigation for Beats deals
The hushed whispers surrounding the Federal Trade Commission's supposed investigation into Apple's Beats Music service relaunch have gotten a little louder. From the sounds of it, Cupertino's approached record labels and over a dozen of artists, throwing its weight around as the largest seller of music to snag "limited exclusive" rights and partnerships to pad out a new version of the formerly-owned-by Dr. Dre music service. Bloomberg's sources say that the FTC's still pretty early in the process, but the inquiry revolves around how Apple's dominance in the music sales space, coupled with exclusive deals, could put the likes of Spotify at a disadvantage. It's something other streaming outfits like Tidal don't exactly have to worry about because they don't have iTunes attached to them.
Will Tidal's artist exclusives ruin streaming music?
Tidal, the Jay Z-led music-streaming service, recently relaunched at the end of March with a roster of high-profile celebrity backers, like Madonna, Rihanna and Kanye West. The event was much more than an obvious photo-opp; it was a statement: In addition to a ceremonial pact signing, the group of over a dozen artists pledged to tackle fair compensation and improve the current state of streaming affairs for consumers and musicians. Part of this strategy involves offering content exclusive to Tidal. And while extra content is nice, it becomes worrisome when the exclusive bits take the form of much-anticipated full album releases. That seems to be Tidal's plan to lure and retain subscribers. It's a business plan that could very well kill the streaming-music vibe for everyone, especially when we've become used to an all-you-can-stream listening habit.
Apple reportedly in talks with Taylor Swift for Beats Music exclusives
Exclusive content was mentioned more that once during Tidal's recent relaunch at the hands of Jay Z & Co. Not to be outdone by the celebrity-backed competition, it seems Apple is also looking to offer releases that you won't be able to find anywhere else -- at lease for a period of time. Bloomberg reports the folks in Cupertino are in talks with Florence and the Machine, Taylor Swift and "more than a dozen" others about exclusive deals for its upcoming streaming service. The former has an album that's set to drop in June -- a follow-up to 2011's Grammy-nominated effort Ceremonials. If you'll recall, Ms. Swift's catalog will be available on Tidal, as it doesn't have a free option like the service she spurned last year.
Taylor Swift will be available on Jay Z's Tidal streaming service
Most people still have no idea what Tidal is, but that's likely to change if Jay Z continues playing his cards right. See, the music mogul has just convinced Taylor Swift to give the Norwegian hi-fi streaming service -- that he snapped up -- the right to stream most of her albums. As she's one of the world's best-selling artists, she certainly has the following to help spread the word about the company. But doesn't Taylor dislike streaming services? Well, not exactly. She left Spotify last year, because she wasn't happy with its free, ad-supported tier -- on the other hand, she stayed with Rhapsody and Beats Music, because they don't have a free option.
Apple will reportedly debut its music streaming service at WWDC
If you're hoping that Apple will launch its retooled music streaming service alongside a smartwatch next week, you'll have to wait a bit longer. 9to5Mac reports that Monday's "Spring Forward" event won't include details on the next phase of iTunes/Beats Music. Instead, the audio subscription option will launch at WWDC in June as part of an iOS update that annually rolls out soon after. Reportedly priced around $8 per month, the music service is said include features like curated playlists and content tailored to users' personal tastes -- both of which are key pieces of Beats Music. As you might expect, an app for the new service will make its way to Apple TV, and the same report claims a redesigned (read: slimmer) case and more capable remote control are on the way for Cupertino's set-top box. However, with the rumored 13-inch iPad and Retina MacBook Air that we may see this year, it'll be interesting to see how Apple plans to reveal a highly-anticipated update to its living room tech.
iPhones may soon come with Beats Music already installed
Since Apple nabbed Beats earlier this year, we've been wondering what would come of the latter outfit's streaming service. Financial Times reports that the folks in Cupertino plan to lump Beats Music (or whatever it'll be called in the future) in to iOS. Yes, this means that the app will already be installed on that new iPhone or iPad when you unbox it, attempting to get a leg up on the likes of Rdio and Spotify from the jump. The report says the usual "people familiar with the matter" look for the move to happen as soon as March -- perhaps around the same time as the debut of the Apple Watch. As you might expect, you'll still need a subscription to access Dr. Dre's library of tunes, but the app itself will already be there. Of course, this could also end badly: we all remember what happened last time Apple put something on our phones we didn't want. I reached out to Apple on the matter and it declined to comment.
Recode: Apple wants to make Beats subscriptions cheaper
Ten bucks -- that's what many on-demand music streaming services like Rhapsody and Spotify cost per month. But -- according to Recode -- Apple thinks $10 is too damn high, so it's already talking to music labels in an effort to bring Beat Music's price down and entice users to choose it over its rivals. Back when an Apple exec shot down rumors that the company's sunsetting Beats Music, Recode said that while the service will stay, there might be major changes coming -- this cheaper pricing might be one of them. It's now up to Cupertino to convince these corporations (it's reportedly sussing out a new set of rights with music labels, even as you read this) to sign on the dotted line. Unfortunately, you won't be seeing any of these big Beats Music upgrades until next year, so you'll have to pony up a few more $10 bills for now.
Apple TV gets Beats Music streaming and a flatter look
Your iPad or iPhone isn't the only device getting a big iOS upgrade today. Apple is now rolling out an Apple TV update that brings not just iOS 8-savvy features like iCloud Photo and Family Sharing, but a flatter-looking interface on third-generation devices -- yes, that previous super-glossy look has gone the way of the dodo. If you're using that newer hardware in the US, you'll also see a Beats Music app that lets you stream on-demand tunes during a living room party. The refresh isn't going to get you any closer to that long-rumored TV set, especially if you're still stuck on a second-gen Apple TV box, but it's welcome all the same. [Image credit: AppleInsider]
Apple officially brings Beats into the fold
A smidge over two months after Apple announced its plan to nab Dr. Dre's headphone and music streaming interests, the folks in Cupertino have officially welcomed Beats to the family. The US government didn't seem to take issue with the purchase, giving the final stamp of approval. Both sides have also posted statements on their respective sites celebrating the union that's now a done deal. The $3 billion dollar purchase of the Beats brand brings not only popular audio devices and a personalized streaming service into Apple's fold, but also the talents of CEO Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre and music head Ian Rogers to the table for future projects. In the meantime, if you're looking to purchase from Beats, it has moved sales to the new owner's online store.
Beats Music adds new options for enhanced personalization
Some of the main items that Beats Music claims set it apart from the competition are its personalization and curated content. Looking to boost both of those areas, Apple's pending purchase has tossed in a few tweaks. First, if you're familiar with the service, you know that upon launching the app for the first time, you're prompted to select a few of your favorite artists and genres to give Beats a clue to your audio sensibilities. Those selections are now editable, making adding and deleting easy for evolving tastes. You're also able to access a list of recently played tracks from the handy Sentence feature -- just in case you forgot to mark 'em for later. More playlists have also been added to the Just for You section, increasing the amount and range of recommendations. All of the recent additions are available now through the service's mobile and web apps.
Apple acquires Beats Electronics for $3 billion
Apple is making things official: Dr. Dre's Beats Electronics belongs to Cupertino, and it cost them $3 billion. Rumors had circulated that CEO Tim Cook was interested in nabbing up the audio accessory and music-streaming outfit, corroborated by a beer-drenched video in which Dre himself declared that he had become "the first billionaire in hip-hop." And now, after Financial Times had already let the cat out of the bag, we have Apple's side of the story. As expected, co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre (Andre Young) will join Cook and VP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, but their exact job titles haven't been revealed just yet.
Apple is reportedly close to buying Beats for $3.2 billion
The days of Apple limiting itself to (relatively) small acquisitions may soon be over. The Financial Times hears from sources that the folks at 1 Infinite Loop are close to buying Beats Electronics for $3.2 billion. It's not clear exactly why the company would splurge on such a deal, although there are some strong incentives -- Beats Music could provide Apple with a streaming music platform more advanced than iTunes Radio, while Beats' audio hardware could complement existing iOS and Mac devices. Apple hasn't commented on the rumor, but the rumored deal could be official as early as next week -- we'll know the truth soon enough.
Beats Music finally outfits the iPad after an iOS update
Spotify and Rdio have offered iPad-friendly apps for quite some time, but Beats Music didn't appropriately outfit Apple's slate with its streaming service until today. Thanks to an iOS update, subscribers can snag the dedicated tablet version and swipe through unique sections like Just for You and The Sentence. Those are all the new features that the update offers, but at least now streaming playlists on an iPad doesn't require you to ogle an enlarged smartphone app to do so. Of course, we still have to wait patiently for a desktop app so we can blast Kendrick Lamar at the office without being tethered to a handset.
Beats Music update lets you subscribe from inside the iOS app
Odds are that you weren't riveted by Beats Music when it first arrived, but the streaming service has just delivered a pair of big updates that may give you a good excuse to tune in. For the iOS app, the biggest improvement is visible when you're signing up -- you can now subscribe from within the software rather than heading to the web. The move makes it that much easier to keep the music flowing after your trial is over, and may just help Beats grow its fledgling customer base.
Rival cycle: Beats Music VP of product reportedly headed to Spotify
It looks like Beats Music's uphill battle to upstage the incumbent streaming services just took a hit. CNET reports that Fredric Vinna, product lead and one of the outfit's early creators (alongside Trent Reznor et al.) back in 2011, is on his way to one of its biggest rivals: Spotify. The departure comes a little over a month after the launch of Beats Music and is breaking on the heels of the acquisition of Topspin -- whose ArtistLink service is embedded inside both streaming options for merch and ticket sales. Artist Tools in Beats Music are also built using the Topspin's platform, and the duo should bring even more artist-to-listener interaction as the service looks to further differentiate itself. However, now it's in need of a new captain to take the product reigns. Beats Music declined to comment on the matter when we reached out. We've contacted Spotify as well and we'll be sure to update this post when we hear back.
