A few intriguing products and services have emerged in the aftermath of the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2015 event. The imminent arrival of a few highly-anticipated products that we speculated about has finally been confirmed.
The greatly-anticipated Apple streaming service is set to make its debut in over 100 countries this month. It will be available on all Apple devices, including Mac and PC, and eventually on Android later this year. The subscription will cost $10 or 1,900 Naira per month, with a free trial period of three months. A family plan, similar to Spotify’s offering, is also available for $15 or 2,900 Naira a month.
In a typically grand Apple fashion, the launch event was star-studded, featuring major artists like Drake and Pharrell. This new service, positioned to compete with Spotify and the recent newcomer Tidal, is widely anticipated.
DJ Zane Lowe is set to host the newly launched Beats 1 radio. It will broadcast live from Los Angeles, New York City, and London. Given that there are over 7 million paying music streaming accounts in Britain alone, it’s unsurprising that Apple would want to take full advantage of this market. Currently, Apple has over 800 million credit cards registered on its iTunes platform and their strategy to convert these users into customers for this new music streaming service is eagerly awaited by the industry.
Beyond the streaming service, Apple introduced a new feature called Connect. This new service aims to offer artists a one-stop shop experience where they can upload content like photos and lyrics to songs. This content can be directly shared on other social media sites and the artist’s own website. Notably, fans aren’t left out of the Connect experience as they can directly engage with their favorite artists using the service’s comment, like, and share tools.
Apple’s plans to climb the streaming ladder in this rapidly expanding market are clear. One such strategy is through the previously mentioned Connect service. Additionally, Apple is integrating Siri for advanced searching, enabling users to voice search artists, tracks, and albums – saving time and efficiency. This feature extends to searching charts in your favorite genres or music from specific geographical areas. These new features are a segue into another major announcement from Apple – iOS 9.
The much-awaited multitasking feature is finally set to arrive on iPads. This feature, already available on Android tablets like Samsung, allows users to carry out different tasks in various windows. Despite the late arrival, Apple users are grateful for this overdue enhancement.
One of the major highlights of iOS 9 is its new feature to extend battery life by up to an hour. A single button can switch to a low-power mode, adding an additional three hours of battery life. This news particularly benefits individuals in regions with inconsistent power supply or those on-the-go without frequent access to charging points.
The availability of iOS 9 is scheduled for July, but it will be generally available towards the end of this year. Other improvements include an intelligent Siri and more.
Whilst the introduction of Apple’s new streaming service offers many exciting opportunities, it also presents various challenges. For instance, between 2008 and 2013, the growth of the music streaming service saw streaming revenue surpass the $1 billion value, with about 28 million paying music streaming subscribers. However, free downloads and piracy from other sources are projected to put a dent in overall revenue over time.
As per projections, the streaming market is set to have about 100 million subscribers with a projected revenue of about $5 billion by 2020. This offers a vast opportunity for Apple and other companies looking to venture into this market. Regardless, Apple’s large user base and celebrity partnerships provide a remarkable head start.
The introduction of iOS 9 and Apple’s entry into music streaming market seem to be steps in the right direction. However, only time will tell how these initiatives will fare in the long run. The technology giant has definitely given us something to look forward to, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.
Paul Balo is the founder of TechBooky and a highly skilled wireless communications professional with a strong background in cloud computing, offering extensive experience in designing, implementing, and managing wireless communication systems.
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