Apple Music has announced a new budget streaming tier at £4.99 per month in the UK. It is designed exclusively for Siri and voice control.
The Apple Music Voice Plan offers subscribers access to the service’s catalogue of 90 million songs, tens of thousands of playlists, personalised mixes and genre stations, as well as Apple Music Radio.
“Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats. “With Siri actively used on hundreds of millions of devices worldwide, we are thrilled to add this new plan that delivers an effortless music experience just by using your voice and makes Apple Music accessible to even more people around the world.”
Amazon Music offers a single device plan for £3.99.
Once subscribed to the Apple Music Voice Plan, users can request music be played across all of their Siri-enabled devices, including HomePod mini, AirPods, iPhone, or any other Apple device, and when using CarPlay.
Apple Music is also adding hundreds of new mood and activity playlists created by Apple Music’s editorial experts that are fully optimised just for voice.
The Apple Music Voice Plan will be available later this autumn in 17 countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Apple Music Voice Plan subscribers will get a customised in-app experience with suggestions based on the listener’s music preferences and a queue of recently played music through Siri. Within the app there will also be a dedicated section called “Just Ask Siri” where subscribers can learn tips to optimise Siri for Apple Music.
The music industry will hope that the budget option acts as a funnel for premium subscriptions.
For access to Apple Music’s premium offerings, including Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio, Lyrics, Music Videos,subscribers can switch to Apple Music’s individual plan for £9.99 per month or the family plan with up to six accounts for £14.99 per month at any time.
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