Rumors about Apple’s plans for Beats Music have been floating around ever since Apple officially acquired Beats in August 2014, and today we’ve got another report to add to the pile.
Sources tell The New York Times that Apple is working with Beats engineers and execs on a new streaming service. Trent Reznor, vocalist for Nine Inch Nails, is said to be playing a “major role” in the effort after working as the chief creative officer of Beats Music. Beats founder Jimmy Iovine is also said to be a big part of Apple’s new service, trying to do things like get big album releases exclusive to Apple.
Apple’s new service will reportedly have many of the same features as Beats Music, like curated playlists, while making sure that the app fits in with Apple’s design. Pricing is expected to be $9.99 per month, similar to other streaming services, but it’s said that there will be no free tier like some other services currently offer.
Beats Music offers several interesting features, like playlists that are curated by actual music experts and Right Now, a sentence that users fill in with information like what they’re doing and what kind of music they want to hear. Beats will then compile a playlist that it thinks is appropriate for the situation. Despite the fact that it’s got some unique features and a nice-looking interface, the service hasn’t managed to become a major player in the streaming wars. It’s said that Apple’s new service will be part of its next big iOS update, likely iOS 9, and so that could certainly help push adoption.
In addition to this revised version of Beats Music, Apple is reportedly prepping an updated version of iTunes Radio. The refreshed radio service is expected to be better tailored to listeners in different regions, and it’s also possible that it’ll have new albums before they’re available anywhere else.