Report: Apple's new streaming music service will indeed be unveiled at WWDC next week
According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple’s new streaming music service will indeed be announced at WWDC next week in San Francisco.
While it has been assumed that the new service, reportedly named Apple Music, would take the place of Beats Music, the report offers a new take. Beats Music will live on, for the time being, while any issues are sorted out. Beats users would eventually be migrated into the revamped offering.
Just like major player Spotify, Apple’s service would cost $9.99 per month for a subscription. Here’s more from the report:
People familiar with Apple’s thinking say the company—the world’s leading music retailer—is prepared to cannibalize its download business in favor of streaming, which has been gaining traction world-wide. The subscription model offers the prospect of more revenue for both Apple and the biggest music labels. Apple’s push may include prompting people who download a $10 album to instead subscribe to the streaming service for $10 a month, those people said.
Echoing a separate report from this weekend, the WSJ also believes Apple will be introducing music channels featuring famous artists:
It also is expected to offer a battery of “channels” programmed much like traditional broadcast stations, featuring some high-profile personalities, these people said. It has hired a number of well-known DJs and producers from BBC Radio 1 to help create the service. It is in talks with rap stars Q-Tip, Drake and Dr. Dre—Beats’ other cofounder, also now working for Apple—to host shows, according to people familiar with the plans. Pandora-style “custom” stations are expected to be available alongside the new programmed channels.
Apple will kick off WWDC on Monday, June 8 with a keynote address that will start at 10 a.m. PDT. Along with the new music streaming service, Apple is expected to introduce iOS 9, OS X 10.11, a streaming TV service, and possibly a next-generation Apple TV.