Saturday, January 16, 2016

Apple To Start Charging For iTunes Radio

Apple Inc said it will soon start charging for iTunes Radio, its music-streaming service that competes with Pandora Media Inc.

ITunes Radio, which was announced in 2013, will no longer be free from the end of January, Apple said in statement.

The ad-supported service, available only in the United States and Australia, will be folded into Apple Music, which costs $9.99 a month.

Reuters reports Beats 1, the global 24/7 radio station, will now be the free music option for listeners.

Apple sent out an email to iTunes Radio users notifying them that starting Jan. 28, this music streaming service, which was launched to take on Pandora, will no longer be free.

"We are making Beats 1 the premier free broadcast from Apple and phasing out the ad-supported stations at the end of January," said an Apple spokesperson to BuzzFeed News. "Additionally, with an Apple music service, listeners can access dozens of radio stations curated by our team of music experts, covering a range of genres, commercial-free with unlimited skips."

The spokesperson added Apple Music's free three-month trial features radio.

If you wish to listen to Apple's hired DJs thru Beats 1, you will not fork out any penny from your pocket. However, if you prefer radio stations based on your favorite genre or artist, you need to splurge $10 every month to subscribe to Apple Music after the free three-month trial for new subscribers.

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