NEW YORK: The Beats won’t go on at Apple after all.
The tech giant will shut down Beats Music on November 30, according to a document published Thursday. All Beats subscriptions will be canceled on that day, but Apple is encouraging subscribers to migrate their user profiles to Apple Music, the music subscription service it launched in June.
“All the pros that curated music for you are still crafting more amazing experiences,” Apple said in the document. “Plus, on Apple Music, you’ll get even better recommendations based on music you already listen to and love, 24/7 global radio with Beats 1, exciting material from your favorite artist, and more.”
Cupertino, California-based Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
The closure of Beats Music comes less than six months after the maker of iPhones and iPads unveiled its first subscription-streaming service, dubbed Apple Music, as its revamped way of offering songs on its devices. The $10 a month service builds upon Beats, the music subscription service that Apple acquired in 2014 for $3 billion.
The introduction of Apple Music marked a radical departure from the norm for the electronics giant, which had for years resisted adopting a music subscription model for its customers. The service underscores Apple’s desire to extend itself into more facets of consumers’ lives.
Apple Music offers recommendations based on songs purchased from Apple’s iTunes Store, ripped from CDs or chosen on-demand from an online catalog of more than 30 million titles. The service also includes a 24/7 radio station called Beats 1 and a service called Connect, where artists can present themselves to fans and share songs directly to their iPhones.
Since Apple Music launched in June, 6.5 million people have signed on as paying subscribers, CEO Tim Cook said last month, with another 8.5 million people participating in the music service’s 90-day free trial. By comparison, rival music service Spotify has 25 million paid members and another 50 million who listen for free.
Apple moved to extend its reach earlier this week, releasing a test version of its Apple Music streaming service for Google’s Android operating system, software that powers the majority of the world’s mobile devices. While expected, Apple’s embrace of Android for Apple Music represents a major departure. Apple’s only other significant Android app helps people switch from an Android device to an Apple one.
