Apple broke the habit of a lifetime earlier this year in its move to snap up the well-known, high-profile Beats Electronics for $3 billion, and since then, the company has wasted little time in improving and updating its new subsidiary’s range of products and services. As well as the few new pair of headphones that have manifested since the takeover, the Beats Music subscription service has been a major topic of conversation, and with Apple looking to use its vast iTunes catalog as leverage in the battle of the modern digital music portals, it looks like the Beats Music app will become a part of the stock repertoire early next year.
As per a report over at the FinancialTimes, Beats Music could arrive natively to iOS as soon as March, with the article citing sources familiar with the matter in making its assertions.
Beats will, continues the report, remain a paid subscription service, although could be rebranded to identify better with Apple and iTunes. If the naming does include the ‘iTunes’ moniker, you feel that iTunes Radio will be killed off before or at the time of Beats Music’s move to iOS as standard. Having said that, the dud service looks on its way to the graveyard irrespective of what Apple does with its newly-acquired offering, having really struggled to make any kind of impact since it first dropped along with iOS 7.
Undoubtedly, a portion of the iOS community will be displeased by hearing of yet more native applications, particularly given that they use up space and cannot be deleted. iOS 8 already introduced several new apps right off the bat, including Health and Tips, and if you’ve no intention of using Beats Music whatsoever, then you’re likely to view this new addition as yet more bloatware.
Still, it makes sense from Apple’s perspective since it negates the need to promote heavily via the App Store, although with Spotify comfortably ahead of Apple in terms of paying subscribers, Tim Cook et al will be hoping that the response from users is a positive one.
What do you make of this – will you give Beats Music / iTunes (insert name here) a shot when it becomes a part of the furniture? Or are you simply bemused at the fact that it’ll be yet another bundled app that you won’t be able to get rid of?
Do be sure to share your comments below!
(Source: FinancialTimes)
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