Apple Ceases Free iTunes Radio Streaming Worldwide

[imnotthewalrus]

I am not knocking people that use AM, but don't tell me that it is better for me than owning.

It is not GREED, it is common sense.

It is not (necessarily) better than owning. My point, that I stand by, is that your argument is that you have nothing to show for the money you spend. Why do you single out music from other forms of renting? When you drop your $10 at a theatre, you watch a movie and take nothing home with you. When you go to a concert, you pay the price for the ticket but take nothing home with you. When you are subscribing to MUSIC or Netflix or Hulu or any subscription service, you should know that your ability to enjoy the endless media offered is yours as long as you remain a subscriber. Be honest; how much would it have cost you to buy what you have been listening to? BTW once you have played your favorites to death...here's an idea: buy it.

 

[Juicy Box]

Forever? Sorry not important to me. With most subscriptions I can easily download enough music so that after 5 years my investment is far less than yours and I can do it in the first 30 days then enjoy that financial benefit and good music. If you are a casual User then maybe subscription isn't good, families absolutely. I have stacks of cd's from 30 years of purchasing, most have one or two songs I like to listen to. No thanks to going back to that mess.

I think you have a great point, and it fits to what I said many times. AM is good for the people that like it, but it is not for everyone.

All my comments started in response to this statement if you follow the thread.

I don't understand people who won't get something for $10. I can understand saving like $1,000 on something, but $10 is pigeon feed. I'm glad my finances are better than yours.

I was just saying that just because you do not want to pay $10 a month to rent music, doesn't mean you are cheap. I would rather buy. I am pretty sure from the likes, others would too.

 

[Alanlink]

I do not applaud this decision, and I find it hard to find reasons to support it.

What is wrong with options on how to listen to music. There was an option that we had until today, you can listen to iTunes Radio, find a song you like, buy it or the whole album

That is what I have been doing. I purchased more music since I started using iTunes Radio, than before.

It is crazy that people support less options to listen/discover music.

I might go back to some other free options, although most of them have ads. There is no way I am going to pay the music rental fee for AM.
[doublepost=1454073239][/doublepost]

It is great that it works for you, but don't tell others what is good for them.

After 10 years of paying $10 a month of music, what will you have if Apple ends AM? You would have spent crap loads of money, and nothing to show for it.

Again, if this option works for you, then that is great. But not everyone wants to do that.

Alan Link says, too bad I cant delete the itunes app from my phone, I certainly wont use any more,

I do not applaud this decision, and I find it hard to find reasons to support it.

What is wrong with options on how to listen to music. There was an option that we had until today, you can listen to iTunes Radio, find a song you like, buy it or the whole album

That is what I have been doing. I purchased more music since I started using iTunes Radio, than before.

It is crazy that people support less options to listen/discover music.

I might go back to some other free options, although most of them have ads. There is no way I am going to pay the music rental fee for AM.
[doublepost=1454073239][/doublepost]

It is great that it works for you, but don't tell others what is good for them.

After 10 years of paying $10 a month of music, what will you have if Apple ends AM? You would have spent crap loads of money, and nothing to show for it.

Again, if this option works for you, then that is great. But not everyone wants to do that.

ITS RADIO ITS SUPPOSE TO BE FREE! Obtuse crazy vertical, youre not buying music ! IT's A R A D I O !!!!
[doublepost=1454172819][/doublepost]Its a RADIO , R A D I O !

 

[2010mini]

Alan Link says, too bad I cant delete the itunes app from my phone, I certainly wont use any more,




ITS RADIO ITS SUPPOSE TO BE FREE! Obtuse crazy vertical, youre not buying music ! IT's A R A D I O !!!!
[doublepost=1454172819][/doublepost]Its a RADIO , R A D I O !

No it's not. It's a streaming service.

 

[Juicy Box]

Alan Link says, too bad I cant delete the itunes app from my phone, I certainly wont use any more,




ITS RADIO ITS SUPPOSE TO BE FREE! Obtuse crazy vertical, youre not buying music ! IT's A R A D I O !!!!
[doublepost=1454172819][/doublepost]Its a RADIO , R A D I O !

I have no idea what you are talking about. If you are referring to the posts about me buying music, it is because I am talking about buying music from iTunes or others.

If you are referring to my comments about iTunes Radio, I never said I bought the music. Maybe you are talking about iTunes Match subs including ad-free iTunes Radio? Just follow the threads.

 

[jujufreeze]

You know Apple, your greed just removed an important feature for itunes match subscribers. A slap in the face. This seems to be the case of late- greed over customer satisfaction and experience- diametrically opposed to Steve Job's philosophy. Just ugh.

 

[0098386]

Ok dokey.
Now, can they remove the radio function on the music app?

And maybe it would be nice if I didn't get weekly "buy Apple Music" popups on the music app too.

 

[oliversl]

Use Spotify!
They only do music and they do it great! Meanwhile Apple is doing everything and no company can to everything and everything great.

 

[0098386]

Guess what? I use Apple Music every day. Love to use it while I work-out, and in my office. $10/month is a small price for something so useful in my life. I don't understand people who won't get something for $10. I can understand saving like $1,000 on something, but $10 is pigeon feed. I'm glad my finances are better than yours.

My whole model of listening has changed with Apple Music. Sure, I have options, I could choose Spotify, but Apple Music is more convenient and cheaper. The family plan brings our cost to less than $5 a person.

I now hear a song by an artist, and find out other albums the artist has made, and listen to the whole albums in their entirety. I'll find a few favorites and add them to my work or work-out playlists.

Haha, wow, a "I'm better off that you" bragging post. You don't get many of them on MR these days.

 

[JJade]

Apple today officially ended free streaming of its iTunes Radio channels worldwide, incorporating the catalogue of stations into its subscription-based Apple Music service.

The change follows Apple's announcement earlier this month that its free radio-listening feature would be discontinued at the end of January but would remain available to Apple Music subscribers.

As of this morning, iOS Music app users who tap on a radio station are bounced to a screen prompting them to join Apple's premium streaming music service.

Likewise, iTunes users on a Mac who attempt to access the stations or create their own are met with a dialog window asking them to "Get on Our Wavelength" and join Apple Music.

Users with an iTunes Match subscription are also no longer able to access the stations. However, Apple's Beats 1 radio channel remains available to iTunes users worldwide as a free listening option.

Apple had quietly continued to offer ad-supported iTunes Radio stations in the United States and Australia even after the launch of Apple Music on June 30, 2015. However, after the company's decision to wind down its mobile iAd platform, the feature was already being limited in other regions to those who pay for Apple's streaming music service.

iTunes Radio was originally released with iTunes 11.1 and iOS 7 as a free ad-supported service, offering music discovery through featured and genre stations provided by Apple or through the creation of new stations based on a specific artist or song.

Article Link: Apple Ceases Free iTunes Radio Streaming Worldwide

Don't like it? Tell Apple!
[doublepost=1454177678][/doublepost]

I'm an Apple Music subscriber, so it doesn't affect me. But this is a classless move inasmuch as iTunes Match subscribers just had a perk of the service they were paying for taken away. Not cool, Apple.

I agree. Tell apple! http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html
[doublepost=1454177813][/doublepost]

Totally sucks. I liked the Chill and Classical stations. Aren't the premium prices we pay sufficient to have at least a few free radio channels?

I agree. So let Apple know! http://www.apple.com/feedback/itunesapp.html

 

[pwygant]

I tend to agree with most posters here as well. I don't get the point of making iTunes Radio unavailable to Match subscribers. I tend to find music in radio, then purchase the songs I like. I guess I have to find a new alternative for radio now. Hello Spotify or back to Pandora...

 

[Madoka Kyono]

If you look at the Apple Music model, they give it to you for free for 3 months. Once you are hooked, then it's 10/month for ever. How is this not the drug dealer model?

oh, after reading it closer you meant; you buy it once(the song) and then 'the drug dealer motto, i will not support' (i will not support the drug dealer motto) I thought they were all different sentences, not just two.

 

[2457282]

oh, after reading it closer you meant; you buy it once(the song) and then 'the drug dealer motto, i will not support' (i will not support the drug dealer motto) I thought they were all different sentences, not just two.

This is where I get to pull the Cuban card to excuse my poor grammar

 

[bgro]

Emailed support to request prorated refund and they basically said they would cancel Match account and refund based on under prorated months. Just in case anyone was wonderingf

 

[Mactendo]

Coffee is a consumable. iTunes Music is not. Here is a link to the definition if you need help.

And?.. Get help yourself in being more clear on what you are trying to convey.

 

[vjl323]

It just says a lot that I've never found any iTunes Radio feature on the Mac app - I use the Internet Radio feature a lot and love it, so I was worried that is what was going away [you can stream any station you find online via iTunes as well, which is what I tend to do - I like listening to air traffic control of different airports, and iTunes makes it simple to pipe that throughout my home].

I'm still unsure, even after trying to find it, where iTunes Radio on the Mac was located.

 

[zed1291]

I don't see how this goes well for Apple and the iTunes Store. I listened to several stations to hear new music that I would later buy. Now I can't listen to new music so I guess I won't discover or buy much now. And I will not subscribe - I pay once only for a song. The drug dealer model, I will not support.

I am the same way. I'm an iTunes Match subscriber and I used to use iTunes Radio to find new music to buy.

 

[Cndnmax]

Lwhat does this mean for previous gen Apple tv access to radio streams?

My Apple TV was the only device I used to listen to iTunes Radio. Since we can't add Pandora or Spotify on the older gens we're pretty much screwed. Maybe this is their way of forcing an upgrade. There is still the "radio" app but it's not customizable at all.

 

[John.B]

I went through this early this morning, when my daughter could no longer listen to what used to be the iTunes radio stations on her iPad. Congrats, Mr. Cue, for creating early morning drama. Totally pissed at Apple today. I got it squared away eventually (adding a free trial with a family sharing plan on an iTunes account where the credit card on the account had passed the expiration date, sheesh!), but that 90 days will give me time to explore other options.

Unrelated question: Does Eduardo have no one in his circle to tell him how ridiculous those shirts look?

 

[Luscious]

I'm an Apple Music subscriber, so it doesn't affect me. But this is a classless move inasmuch as iTunes Match subscribers just had a perk of the service they were paying for taken away. Not cool, Apple.

Agreed. It was a nice perk and part of the reason I continued to pay for iTunes Match. I probably won't renew next year.

 

[Juicy Box]

And?.. Get help yourself in being more clear on what you are trying to convey.

I really hate doing long posts, but maybe you need extra help on this one.

consumable:
adjective
1.
able or meant to be consumed, as by eating, drinking, or using:
consumable goods.
2.
liable to be used up or depleted:
comsumable resources.
noun
3.
Usually, consumables. something that is produced to be consumed, as processed food or fuel.

Starbucks drink = consumable, iTunes music media = non-consumable.

I could be totally wrong, but I never heard of renting Starbuck. I really don't want to picture how anyone would return the rented coffee.

There is no alternative if you want Starbucks, beside purchasing another brand, or not getting it. You buy it, then use it in that moment.

A better argument against Starbucks would be skipping the coffee, and investing the money that is spent. I would agree with you if you said this, although it probably would be really off topic for this thread.

If you normally get a Starbuck once a day @ about $5, then decided to invest the Starbucks money instead of buying a consumable, some would be surprised at how much money they could be wasting.

Use an ETF at the 10 year average rate for ten year, and you could make over $26k, that is on top of the $18k from the money you spent. This is also assuming it is a no load fund and not taken in account taxes, but I think people will get the point.

I have digressed from the topic, but that would be a lot better argument against Starbucks than your statement.

It's like saying: After 10 years of paying for coffee at Starbucks, you would have spent crap loads of money, what will you have to show for it?

Now, back on topic, a better example would have been renting/leasing a car or a house.

You have a choice in buying a song, or renting it using AM. Just like a car or house.
When you subscription is up on AM, you no longer can use the song. Just like a car or house.
If you opt to buy the song, you can use it as much as you want, for as long as you want. Just like a car or house.

Please, follow the thread, and look at the posts that I mention AM:

It is great that it works for you

if this option works for you, then that is great.

That is nice that it works out for you.

I said repeatedly, that it is great that AM works for you

I am not knocking people that use AM,

AM is good for the people that like it

I am not saying AM is a horrible service that no one should use. I am responding to the post that basically says if you don't use AM you must be cheap or poor.

I was giving reasons why someone would prefer not to use AM.

 

[nicho]

Beats music is not available worldwide...

 

[cwwilson]

I think I figured it out....people just don't like paying for things. They think everything should be catered to them and free of charge.

The only people that should be upset are Match users because ad-free radio stations were included in their subscription.

As for everyone else, once Apple Music was launched the writing was on the wall for iTunes Radio. We knew where it was headed so why is everyone all up in arms over this?

I have paid for alternative music streaming services the world over; Pandora One, Spotify, Google Play and some even simultaneously. I am a Day 1 Apple Music subscriber and have let the others lapse as I primarily use a mix of AM and iHeart.

You have options out there, folks, if the "situation" at Apple doesn't suit you. I doubt complaining en masse is going to help you.

 

[thekeyring]

What's annoying is Apple could afford to still pay the artists and just not bill the users or have ads - their make enough money to. But they won't, because God forbid they don't outdo themselves in the next earnings report.

If this was Apple cutting costs because the market was against it and they were in trouble, that would be fair enough. But maybe this is all about simplifying the user experience. 'Either use the iTunes Store, or Apple Music. That's all we offer!'

 

[Xeem]

iTunes and the Music app on the phone have become so cluttered you can't even tell what is what anymore.

100% agree. They need to separate iTunes music from Apple Music.