Apple gives retail employees 9 month free Apple Music subscriptions

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited December 2015
Later this month, Apple will be giving its retail employees a 9 month free subscription to Apple Music, in addition to the urBeats headphones the company earlier gave to its retail staff as a holiday gift.




iTunes chief Eddy Cue reportedly advised employees of the award this morning in a video message, according to report by MacRumors. Employees will be sent a redemption code later this month.

Apple has a total headcount of over 110,000 employees, 30,000 of which work in its U.S. retail stores, along with nearly as many who work in its international retail stores.

A 9 month subscription to Apple Music's "all access pass" service has a retail value of $90, and includes unlimited listening to all music in the Apple Music library, the ability to to download tracks to listen offline and expert music suggestions.

Without a paid subscription, Apple Music allows users to login with their Apple ID and access its live Beats 1 radio station, listen to its other radio stations with limited skipping, and to view and follow artists in iTune's Connect social media feed.

Apple Music supports playback on iOS devices, Apple Watch, Apple TV, iTunes from a Mac or PC, or Android devices running 4.3 Jelly Bean or newer.

In October, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said Apple Music had attracted 6.5 million paid subscribers while another 8.5 million users were in an introductory, three month free trial period.

The company just announced over the weekend that it would be giving subscribers exclusive access to a new Taylor Swift concert video, as part of an ongoing promotion for Apple Music and the company's retail stores.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    I’m betting they would prefer a check instead. I know I would.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
  • Reply 3 of 16
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 4 of 16

    lkrupp said:
    I’m betting they would prefer a check instead. I know I would.
    Apple doesn't have to give out Christmas gifts to employees. I work at a large Fortune 20 company and we don't get Christmas gifts.
    coolfactor
  • Reply 5 of 16
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    That just adds to the impression of nickel and diming.  EVERYONE gets a free three month trial.

    I know the old saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but these kinds of "gifts" from big corps to low level employees are met with more cynicism than you might think and I am of the mindset they don't create any goodwill.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    It's in addition to the Beats headphones they got - a good tie-in IMO
  • Reply 7 of 16
    simbalion said:
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    That just adds to the impression of nickel and diming.  EVERYONE gets a free three month trial.

    I know the old saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but these kinds of "gifts" from big corps to low level employees are met with more cynicism than you might think and I am of the mindset they don't create any goodwill.
    So you didn't mean a year, you meant 15 months? Why do I get the feeling the employees at Apple probably appreciate this more than those sniping on internet message boards. What would not be nickel and diming? Giving every employee a new iPad Pro? Apple has over 100K employees now. That would be a pretty expensive gift.
  • Reply 8 of 16
    simbalion said:
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    That just adds to the impression of nickel and diming.  EVERYONE gets a free three month trial.

    I know the old saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but these kinds of "gifts" from big corps to low level employees are met with more cynicism than you might think and I am of the mindset they don't create any goodwill.
    So you didn't mean a year, you meant 15 months? Why do I get the feeling the employees at Apple probably appreciate this more than those sniping on internet message boards. What would not be nickel and diming? Giving every employee a new iPad Pro? Apple has over 100K employees now. That would be a pretty expensive gift.
    "internet sniping" -- haha.  Are you going to call me a troll next?  Come on.  Why can't people have dissenting opinions and just have a civilized discussion?  I see where you're coming from, and just because mine takes on a negative light doesn't mean I'm sniping.  

    I just think that 9 months seems arbitrarily chosen when their marginal cost is minimal and could've been a nicer headline if it said "a year" -- your math isn't quite right either as you're assuming everyone hasn't started a trial.

      And an iPad Pro's marginal cost is not zero, so I don't expect Apple to give that to employees, although they've given iPhones out before (and they were pretty big then!)
  • Reply 9 of 16
    simbalion said:
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    That just adds to the impression of nickel and diming.  EVERYONE gets a free three month trial.

    I know the old saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but these kinds of "gifts" from big corps to low level employees are met with more cynicism than you might think and I am of the mindset they don't create any goodwill.

    Then I would be inclined to think that it's safer for the big corps to not give anything at all. They choose to give something and it backfires on them because the gift is not "good enough"? That fits in perfectly with the entitlement society we have come to know all too well.
  • Reply 10 of 16
    simbalion said:
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    That just adds to the impression of nickel and diming.  EVERYONE gets a free three month trial.

    I know the old saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but these kinds of "gifts" from big corps to low level employees are met with more cynicism than you might think and I am of the mindset they don't create any goodwill.

    Then I would be inclined to think that it's safer for the big corps to not give anything at all. They choose to give something and it backfires on them because the gift is not "good enough"? That fits in perfectly with the entitlement society we have come to know all too well.
    Yep, unfortunately, that's what I've seen in working with/managing folks.  It's a sad sign of the times we live in.  It's really tough to balance the perception of things even as generous as "gifts." 
  • Reply 11 of 16
    genius. You want the employees to understand and be positive references for the service. I think this is a good way to give them a gift and have them become promoters of the product. Much more mileage than handing out $90 cash (and didn't even cost them that). 
  • Reply 12 of 16
    koopkoop Posts: 337member
    simbalion said:
    simbalion said:
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    That just adds to the impression of nickel and diming.  EVERYONE gets a free three month trial.

    I know the old saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but these kinds of "gifts" from big corps to low level employees are met with more cynicism than you might think and I am of the mindset they don't create any goodwill.

    Then I would be inclined to think that it's safer for the big corps to not give anything at all. They choose to give something and it backfires on them because the gift is not "good enough"? That fits in perfectly with the entitlement society we have come to know all too well.
    Yep, unfortunately, that's what I've seen in working with/managing folks.  It's a sad sign of the times we live in.  It's really tough to balance the perception of things even as generous as "gifts." 
    It's far more nuanced than that. It feels good in the gut to say that people are entitled and they should be satisfied with the gifts (I would personally be happy). It's not a Apple-centric problem either, to get that out of the way. But every corporation has departments that figure out how to make employees happy without cash bonuses, or benefits raises. I've literally had conversations with these types of people at my old job. Psychologists making a killing in the corporate world, studying both consumers and employees as ways to increase revenue. These are great low cost ways to make employees feel valued, without people starting to wonder why they aren't making a truly livable wage or seeing an increase in their salary.

    Unfortunately that's systemic in the American workforce, and again not necessarily a dig at the Apple stores. As far as retail stores go, Apple employees are actually decently paid relative to other technology stores (Best Buy). And with that, you actually see a correlation between their pay and their customer service. But again, the Apple Music and earbuds are a "happy" diversion from the fact that Christmas bonuses (money) do not exist in the retail space, which is where the cynicism comes from.

    I'm going to get slightly political, but people still hold on to the idea that the American job market is a giant ladder and those at the bottom should be happy with what they get. Never mind that over 50% of the country is on the bottom step of that ladder and working harder every day to make a living. It's delusional thinking and starting to become dangerous. Apple and other influential retailers have more opportunities to lead in this area.
    IanMC2
  • Reply 13 of 16
    To those complaining, it's a hell of a lot better than blankets, sweatshirts, etc of past years. 
  • Reply 14 of 16
    sog35 said:
    simbalion said:
    simbalion said:
    Seriously. 9 months...of...Apple...Music. I'm sure the employees are jumping for joy. Seriously, why not make it a year? Or just give people access while they are employees? 9 months just seems like you're nickel and diming.
    Are you not aware of the free three month trial? Tack nine months onto that and you get your year.
    That just adds to the impression of nickel and diming.  EVERYONE gets a free three month trial.

    I know the old saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" but these kinds of "gifts" from big corps to low level employees are met with more cynicism than you might think and I am of the mindset they don't create any goodwill.
    Apple has also given all employees free $99 beats earphones.
    All Apple employees have access to stock option plan.
    Many employees will be given year end bonus also.

    Show me another large company that does all that.
    My ex girlfriend works for Samsung in Seoul. Samsung actually gives large bonuses to employees every year. They get free things such as phones and tablets. She gets a bonus of 30% of her salary. Previous years, it was almost 50%. As much as I despise Samsung, they are actually a good company to work for when it comes to benefits. 
  • Reply 15 of 16
    Later this month, Apple will be giving its retail employees a 9 month free subscription to Apple Music, in addition to the urBeats headphones the company earlier gave to its retail staff as a holiday gift.




    iTunes chief Eddy Cue reportedly advised employees of the award this morning in a video message, according to report by MacRumors. Employees will be sent a redemption code later this month.

    Apple has a total headcount of over 110,000 employees, 30,000 of which work in its U.S. retail stores, along with nearly as many who work in its international retail stores.

    A 9 month subscription to Apple Music's "all access pass" service has a retail value of $90, and includes unlimited listening to all music in the Apple Music library, the ability to to download tracks to listen offline and expert music suggestions.

    Without a paid subscription, Apple Music allows users to login with their Apple ID and access its live Beats 1 radio station, listen to its other radio stations with limited skipping, and to view and follow artists in iTune's Connect social media feed.

    Apple Music supports playback on iOS devices, Apple Watch, Apple TV, iTunes from a Mac or PC, or Android devices running 4.3 Jelly Bean or newer.

    In October, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said Apple Music had attracted 6.5 million paid subscribers while another 8.5 million users were in an introductory, three month free trial period.

    The company just announced over the weekend that it would be giving subscribers exclusive access to a new Taylor Swift concert video, as part of an ongoing promotion for Apple Music and the company's retail stores.
    Providing employees with a limited music subscription is like Steve Jobs sending a Nano to one of the miners trapped underground for weeks. What not even a Touch. Come on how much money do you need Apple. The Company is not blessed, your time will come Ebenezer.
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