The rumoured relaunch of Beats Music as an Apple-branded Spotify rival may be just the start of Apple’s plans to once again become the dominant force in the music industry.
According to a so-called industry insider quoted by a Billboard report (via AppleInsider) on Friday, Apple’s goal “is to be the music business; it’s not to compete with Spotify.”
The report comes following a host of behind-the-scenes meeting held between Apple’s senior executives and their counterparts at record labels at last weekend’s Grammy Awards.
The quotes from the insider may have arisen from discussions with Tim Cook, Eddie Cue and Beats founder Jimmy Iovine who were all on hand at the annual music showcase.
It all points to Apple having something bigger up its sleeve than just streaming, although what that might be is anyone’s guess right now.
Recent reports have suggested the new musical push will be spearheaded by a revamped Beats Music offering, dressed in an Apple UI. Earlier this week we brought word the firm may plotting a launch this spring/summer with iOS 8.4.
The company is reportedly mulling a monthly subscription fee which would offer value for consumers, artists and record labels, while also making up its losses as streaming replaces iTunes download sales.
The report says Apple is debating a price of $7.99 a month (around £5), which is cheaper than Spotify and most other options on the market.
Read more: Beats Solo 2 review
According to Billboard’s source, Apple sees the 800m credit cards it already has on file as the key to the success of its streaming venture. By comparison, Spotify has 15 million paying subscribers, while an additional 45 million use it for free.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
