Apple Music expands annual subscription option beyond gift cards
People with an existing Apple Music subscription can now switch to a cheaper annual plan without having to buy a gift card -- though the option is relatively hidden.
Image Credit: TechCrunch
To find it, subscribers must go into the iOS 10 App Store, scroll to the bottom of the Featured tab, and select their Apple ID, TechCrunch noted on Monday. This will prompt for a password, after which people can tap on "View Apple ID," then finally on the Subscriptions button to check their Apple Music membership.
A one-year individual plan is $99 in the U.S., a significant discount off the nearly $120 it costs to go month-by-month. Unfortunately, there are no annual tiers for student or family accounts, and the option is invisible to people who aren't already using Apple Music.
In fact, Apple has so far downplayed the annual option in marketing. The gift card first appeared in September, but is only highlighted in the company's online store.
Offering a discounted plan may nevertheless help Apple compete with the market leader in on-demand streaming, Spotify. The latter is still selling 12-month gift cards for the same price it costs to go month-to-month.
Apple is also aiming to compete with Spotify by offering more original video content. Recently it premiered "Planet of the Apps," and hired two former Sony executives to spearhead future efforts.
Image Credit: TechCrunch
To find it, subscribers must go into the iOS 10 App Store, scroll to the bottom of the Featured tab, and select their Apple ID, TechCrunch noted on Monday. This will prompt for a password, after which people can tap on "View Apple ID," then finally on the Subscriptions button to check their Apple Music membership.
A one-year individual plan is $99 in the U.S., a significant discount off the nearly $120 it costs to go month-by-month. Unfortunately, there are no annual tiers for student or family accounts, and the option is invisible to people who aren't already using Apple Music.
In fact, Apple has so far downplayed the annual option in marketing. The gift card first appeared in September, but is only highlighted in the company's online store.
Offering a discounted plan may nevertheless help Apple compete with the market leader in on-demand streaming, Spotify. The latter is still selling 12-month gift cards for the same price it costs to go month-to-month.
Apple is also aiming to compete with Spotify by offering more original video content. Recently it premiered "Planet of the Apps," and hired two former Sony executives to spearhead future efforts.
Comments
See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039
Nice find. With that price point, HomePod, and untethered watch I probably will find it impossible not to finally subscribe to AppleMusic.
FWIW, a recent survey of more than 1000 U.S. consumers on e-commerce and streaming had good and bad news in it for AppleMusic. Compared to Amazon Prime or Netflix, it’s not that sticky. Only 35% of respondents said they were “most likely” intended to keep AppleMusic. (Compared with 37% for Spotify and 53% for Pandora) Netflix had 72% and Amazon Prime 67%.
Good news for Apple is Spotify users looking slightly less satisfied, declining from past surveys. While AppleMusic slightly improving. [But bar graph, so not certain within 3% error rate]
As far as HomePod, it was too early to make the survey. But of Amazon Echo and Google Home users surveyed, “Play and control Music” ranked highest (32%) as most appealing feature. Ability to Ask it Questions (23%) and Home Automation (15%). Shopping only 5%. More confirmation Apple's emphasis on music for HomePod was right on target.
[This came out 30MAY2017, Bank America Merrill Lynch Analytics updating periodic survey with 20-page report by Justin Post et al.]
It's available here in India now. The pricing is ridiculous here anyway. Now it's even cheaper! I'm on the Family Plan, so no annual subscription option for me.
I want to get Apple Music but $180 a year is steep.