Apple Music has raised the subscription cost of its student plan in the US, UK, and Canada. While it’s increasing the cost from $4.99 to $5.99 / month in the US and Canada, student users in the UK can predict a similar jump from £4.99 to £5.99 / month.
Apple Music’s student plan, reserved for those enrolled in a college or university, was previously the most affordable full-featured plan on request.
Pricing for the $9.99 / month individual and $14.99 / month family plans stays unchanged, and the same goes for the $4.99 / month voice plan. However, while students might examine the voice plan as a way to save an extra buck, it offers more limited access to Apple Music, as you can only handle it through Siri.
Students subscribed to Apple Music have also begun seeing the price rise on their iPhones and iPads’ subscription pages. It’s unclear when strictly Apple implemented these changes, but, as 9to5Mac points out, it was likely rolled out sometime between June 21st and the 23rd — an archived Apple Music webpage shows the old £4.99 student price on the 21st.
Apple Music’s student plan, reserved for those enlisted in a college or university, was formerly the most affordable full-featured plan on offer. Pricing for the $9.99 / month individual and $14.99 / month family plans remain unchanged, and the same goes for the $4.99 / month voice plan. However, while students might look to the voice plan as a path to save an extra buck, it suggests more limited access to Apple Music, as you can only hold it through Siri.
Apple Music’s price increase isn’t limited to just the US, UK, and Canada. Last month, Apple quietly upped the subscription price for students across several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, and Kenya. It’s unclear whether Apple has plans to raise costs for students in additional countries, and Apple didn’t immediately respond for comment.
Apple Music is a piece of music, audio, and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select themes to stream to their device on-demand, or they can attend to existing playlists. The service also contains the Internet radio stations Apple Music Hits, Apple Music Country, and Apple Music 1, which broadcast live to over 200 nations 24 hours a day. The service was declared on June 8, 2015, and launched on June 30, 2015. New subscribers get a six-month and one-month free trial to purchase select products before the service requires a monthly subscription.
Initially strictly a music service, Apple Music began expanding into video in 2016. Executive Jimmy Iovine has stated that the service intends to become a “cultural platform,” and Apple reportedly likes the service to be a “one-stop shop for pop culture.” As a result, the company is investing heavily in producing and purchasing video content, both in terms of music videos and concert footage that keep music releases, as well as web series and feature flicks.
The authentic iOS version of Apple Music received mixed reviews, with objections towards a user interface deemed “not intuitive.” However, it was lauded for its playlist curation, a vast library of songs to stream, and its integration with other Apple gadgets and services. In iOS 10, the app received a significant redesign, which received positive reviews for an updated interface with less clutter, improved navigation, and a more significant emphasis on users’ libraries. Apple Music acquired popularity rapidly after its launch, getting 10 million subscribers in only six months. The service holds 98 million subscribers around the globe as of February 2022.
Apple Music lets users stream over 90 million songs to their devices on demand. The service delivers curated playlists by music experts and suggestions tailored to a user’s music preference. In addition, the service provides three live 24-hour radio stations: Apple Music 1, led by DJ Zane Lowe, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country, broadcast in over 100 countries.
The Apple Music Radio service is free for all users, even without an Apple Music subscription. In addition, Apple Music subscribers can create a profile to share their music with friends and track other users to view the music they hear regularly.
Apple Music’s use of iCloud, which matches a user’s songs to those found on the service, allows users to combine their iTunes with their Apple Music library and listen to their music all in one place. Additionally, the service is heavily integrated into Apple’s in-house services, such as their voice assistant Siri and their audio and video streaming protocol AirPlay. As of late 2019, users also can access the full version of Apple Music through an Apple-designed web player in beta.
Apple Music’s interface consists of five tabs: “Listen Now,” “Browse,” “Library,” “Radio,” and “Search.” The “Library” tab shows the user’s music collection, with opportunities to view songs by “Playlists,” “Artists,” “Albums,” “Songs,” or “Downloaded Music.” Below these options, the tab also shows music recently added to the user’s library. The “Listen Now” bill recommends music for the user based on their music tastes. Human expert selections increase the algorithmic curation, while users can “Like” and “Dislike” songs to further enhance music suggestions.
“Browse” shows new album releases from artists, playlists curated by the Apple Music team, upcoming album releases, as well as different categories, including “Genres,” “Moods,” “Top Charts,” and “Music Videos.” The “Radio” tab incorporates Apple Music Radio and other radio stations which play genre-specific or artist-related music, depending on the user’s preference. Unlike traditional radio services, the radio feature in Apple Music allows users to skip songs, view previously played songs on the station, and view songs playing next. Finally, the “Search” tab features a search box where users can search for artists, albums, Apple Music users, or songs by name or lyrics. Below the search box, a list of recent user searches and overall trending searches on the service are shown.