Apple Teams Up With TuneIn To Boost Radio Outlets

Apple is expanding the reach of its music service by distributing its six curated radio stations through TuneIn’s global network of home speakers and connected cars, marking the first time these stations will be available outside the Apple Music app. 

The Wall Street Journal reports that starting Wednesday, TuneIn’s 75 million monthly active users can access these stations, with Apple aiming to convert listeners into paying subscribers to bolster its music service, which lags behind Spotify.

According to MIDiA Research, Apple Music’s U.S. market share dropped to 25% last year from 30% in 2020, while Spotify’s grew to 37% from 31%. Globally, Apple’s share fell to 12% from 16% since 2020. Unlike video streaming services with exclusive content, music platforms like Apple Music and Spotify offer similar catalogs, making differentiation challenging.

Apple Music relies on human-curated radio stations, launched in 2015 and expanded to six last December, to attract users, unlike Spotify’s algorithm-driven approach. Without an ad-supported tier, Apple uses free trials, often tied to new device purchases, to draw subscribers. 

The TuneIn partnership, initiated late last year, offers ad-free stations to enhance listener experience, with a link in TuneIn’s app and website directing users to Apple Music for potential subscriptions, according to TuneIn CEO Richard Stern.