Apple Working On Spotify Competitor With Beats
Apple is planning to take on Spotify with a new music streaming service powered by Beats. The company reportedly plans to "deeply integrate" Beats into iOS, iTunes, and Apple TV.
The report published by 9to5 Mac, notes that the new service is designed by Apple but leverages Beats' technologies and music content.
Reportedly, Apple had initially discussed a $5 monthly streaming plan with record labels but later settled on $7.99 per month. If true, the subscription fee of Apple's music streaming service will be cheaper than the $9.99-a-month plans offered by Spotify, Rdio, Rhapsody and Google; but more expensive than Pandora's premium, ad-free plan, which costs $4.99 each month.
Apple plans to introduce the new streaming music service in March, but the launch could be delayed till Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The report cited the reason to be a personnel conflicts between Apple and the incoming Beats team.
Apple had bought Beats last year for $3 billion and an outcome of the acquisition is yet to be seen. Since the acquisition, Apple has only pushed Beats products on its stores.
The report said the new "Beats-infused versions of the Music application for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch, as well as an updated iTunes application for computers that deeply integrates Beats functionality" is in works and a new Apple TV application could also accompany the launch.
Citing sources 9to5Mac underscored that the integration is no going so well and it's been "a mess."
