Apple Ceases Free iTunes Radio Streaming Worldwide

[HenryDJP]

No, you misunderstand. It's people here and on other tech sites complaining about this....the same people that supposedly hated iTunes Radio in the first place.

Right, but you said, "I assumed Everyone hated iTunes music".

 

[OllyW]

No, you misunderstand. It's people here and on other tech sites complaining about this....the same people that supposedly hated iTunes Radio in the first place.

Are you sure the members complaining in this thread are the same members who hated iTunes Radio? Most of the posters complaining here seem upset that a service they were using has been removed.

 

[warrior2000]

Crazy so many people are grumbling that they can't get something free anymore. Seriously.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Yes you can get free streaming music with Pandora but then you will get a ton of ads or they will tract your information.

Apple is about giving a premium experience. That cost money. Giving away music for free is not a sustainable business model. Many of these companies like Pandora will eventually have to spam you with more ads or go out of business. There is no way they can keep giving you free music while they have to pay the labels tens of millions of dollars.

 

[ISanych]

Now I see why Amazon introduced Prime Stations

As a Prime Member, you now get unlimited access to Prime Stations--an ad-free, internet radio service you can enjoy at no additional cost to your Prime membership.

 

[rols]

Of course it is legal. It is also legal for you to cancel iTunes Match.

Or were you thinking it would be similarly illegal for you to do that?

You can cancel iTunes Match but it only takes effect on the renewal date, up to 12 months away. If you renewed or purchased iTunes Match 6 months ago expecting to get the ad-free iTunes radio you paid for as part of that for the full 12 months of your subscription, it's not unreasonable to be unhappy when that service you bought is removed along with the free iTunes radio for people who hadn't paid.

As it is now, iTunes Match hasn't gone down in price and you're getting less if you renew it than you did before, but that's your choice, people who paid in the last 12 months for iTunes Match which came with bundled ad-free iTunes Radio should get ad-free radio type service until the renewal date; if they renew again after that, they do it on the new terms and just get match and nothing else.

 

[jmattor]

That's why I paid for iTunes match (radio without advertisements). Is it legal for Apple to cancel it for iTunes match subscribers ? ?



I did. I pay a yearly iTunes match subscription to get the ad free radio from Apple.

You realize it's now gone from iTunes Match?

 

[warrior2000]

Because Apple has to monetize down to the last particle of dust.

So you think they should follow the Pandora model? Give free music and then pay the labels tens of millions of dollars? There is no such thing as a free lunch.

Pandora is going to lose almost $250 million this year.

http://fortune.com/2015/10/23/pandora-stock/

That is a TON of money since their stock is only worth $2 billion. Basically they lost over 10% of their total company worth in 12 months. Do you seriously think that type of business is sustainable?

Just use common sense. Apple/Pandora has to pay labels tens of millions of dollars to play their music. And you think you should get this for free? Really?

Besides your comment about Apple monitizing the user base to the last partical is factually wrong. There are over 1 billion active Apple devices around the world. Apple only had about $24 billion in services revenue last year. This includes App sales, iTunes, AppleRadio, ect. So on average an Apple use spends $2 a month per device on Apple services. Do you consider that monitizing a user base to dust? TWO DOLLARS A MONTH?

 

[Vertigo50]

Between Google Play Music and Radiotunes.com (formerly sky.fm) I have everything I need, and I don't need to line the pockets of Apple even more.

Yep. Have you tried some of the stations on Google Music? They have some really great ones, and the "concierge" feature that they ported from Songza is one of the big reasons I chose Google Music as my subscription service.

 

[Rogifan]

Are you sure the members complaining in this thread are the same members who hated iTunes Radio? Most of the posters complaining here seem upset that a service they were using has been removed.

Yeah I suppose I'm talking about different people. Anyway I do think it's a screw up on Apple's part because their website made it seem like iTunes Radio was a feature of iTunes Match, not a stand alone (thing that iTunes Match members just happened to get an ad-free version of) that could go away at anytime.

 

[warrior2000]

Now I see why Amazon introduced Prime Stations

As a Prime Member, you now get unlimited access to Prime Stations--an ad-free, internet radio service you can enjoy at no additional cost to your Prime membership.

Prime Membership cost $99.
There is no such thing as a free lunch (I have Prime by the way)

 

[Vertigo50]

I renewed my Match sub in Nov, and my fee was the same then. Even after all my music(3000+ songs) on all my devices were deleted. It happened on my subscription renew date. According to Apple, I never had any music uploaded to begin with. It sounds like a bug on their end, but nothing I can really do about it.

Luckily I had a back up of almost all the music, but all my play counts, playlists and other data was deleted.

After that issue, and now this issue, I am not renewing my Match subscription. Even if they reduce the prices.
[doublepost=1454075275][/doublepost]

If I read this a few years ago, as a long time Apple fan, I would have disagreed with you.

But Apple has been doing so many silly things lately that it is really starting to turn me off to their stuff. I am not saying that I will be making a big switch anytime soon, but next time I need a phone, computer, or other expensive electronic, I might start looking else where to see what is out there.

Agree completely. I'm not jumping on the bandwagon of "Apple used to be great and now it sucks!" But I'm at the point where I'm actually hoping someone starts making the kind of products and software they USED to make, with a focus on great UI and usability. Sadly, even with so many poor choices in the last few years, they still make the best products, only because everyone else's products are such a mess! The minute someone actually makes a better smartphone, I'm jumping ship. The minute someone actually makes a better laptop, and OS, I'm out.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

As an Amazon prime customer I couldn't care less about the service going away but what I really hate is apples aggressive music advertising.

On top of that the new Apple Music app on iOS sucks

 

[warrior2000]

Yep. Have you tried some of the stations on Google Music? They have some really great ones, and the "concierge" feature that they ported from Songza is one of the big reasons I chose Google Music as my subscription service.

Hope you realize they are tracking all your information. No such thing as a free lunch.

 

[jmattor]

I've been an iTunes Match subscriber for several years now and that was primarily for ad-free radio to listen to at work. The announcement didn't mention iTunes Match as being affected, so I was cautiously hopeful that I could keep on listening.

But this this morning, after listening to my first song, it stopped playing and offered for me to pay for Apple Music. I went through with it because I listen every day and had already decided to do this in case my radio was cut off.

But what I can't figure out is if there is anything Apple will do for those of us who paid for iTunes match under the understanding that it included this service. But of course now it is no longer included in the T&C for iTunes Match. Maybe I will call support and ask for a refund.

I just did exactly that. I called and complained. All they offered to do is refund my money. In fact, the CSR I spoke with didn't know about it until my call. It rolled out last night.
I filed a complaint with the FTC. I verified that iTunes Match included the ability to listen to on-demand music stations without ads just last week. I printed the webpage from iTunes Match stating that exact thing. I'm curious to see what, if anything, the FTC will do.

 

[msriotdoll]

So wait if I pay for itunes match I get itunes radio and all its features for free? I signed up for the apple music free trail and the end it asked me to subscribe for $9.99. I'm confused.
I do think that if I'm paying $24.99 they should offer itunes music bundled with it.

 

[HenryDJP]

Now I see why Amazon introduced Prime Stations

As a Prime Member, you now get unlimited access to Prime Stations--an ad-free, internet radio service you can enjoy at no additional cost to your Prime membership.

I wouldn't necessary call that something to brag about. A prime membership is $99 monthly. Most people are using Prime for the upgraded shipping. Amazon KNOWS that the rest of their a la carte items wouldn't sell on their own so in order to make people feel that the $99 monthly is worth it they will throw in those extras. Trust the fact, you're paying for it and Amazon is getting plenty of money from you. If you don't order much from Amazon then that $99 is a lot of free cash for them. If you order a lot from Amazon then they get a cut of what you bought, plus the $99. Enjoy!

 

[OllyW]

Yeah I suppose I'm talking about different people. Anyway I do think it's a screw up on Apple's part because their website made it seem like iTunes Radio was a feature of iTunes Match, not a stand alone (thing that iTunes Match members just happened to get an ad-free version of) that could go away at anytime.

I suppose there are no guarantees the radio stations are even a permanent feature of Apple Music.

 

[2010mini]

Good.

As a musician and song writer I fully hope all streaming sites follow and end free tiers.

I would love to see a show of hands at how many people would like to get paid less for their main source of income.

 

[OllyW]

I wouldn't necessary call that something to brag about. A prime membership is $99 monthly. Most people are using Prime for the upgraded shipping. Amazon KNOWS that the rest of their a la carte items wouldn't sell on their own so in order to make people feel that the $99 monthly is worth it they will throw in those extras. Trust the fact, you're paying for it and Amazon is getting plenty of money from you. If you don't order much from Amazon then that $99 is a lot of free cash for them. If you order a lot from Amazon then they get a cut of what you bought, plus the $99. Enjoy!

I think you are mixing up your months and years.

 

[HenryDJP]

I just did exactly that. I called and complained. All they offered to do is refund my money. In fact, the CSR I spoke with didn't know about it until my call. It rolled out last night.
I filed a complaint with the FTC. I verified that iTunes Match included the ability to listen to on-demand music stations without ads just last week. I printed the webpage from iTunes Match stating that exact thing. I'm curious to see what, if anything, the FTC will do.

Before filing, did you check any fine printed material from Apple that may have stated, "Features and prices are subject to change without notice"? I'll bet it's written.

 

[nburwell]

I'm an AM subscriber, so this doesn't really affect me. Although I know for sure that I will not be renewing iTunes Match this year.

iTunes Radio wasn't bad, but there are certainly better options out there. The only reason I subscribed to iTunes Match in the first place was to listen to iTunes Radio commerical free.

 

[HenryDJP]

I think you are mixing up your months and years.

LOL OOPS! You're right. I totally stand corrected.

 

[ppenn]

I actually really like Beats 1 Radio but I would never pay for it, so I'm glad it's still free. They run a few small ads anyways.

 

[warrior2000]

Good.

As a musician and song writer I fully hope all streaming sites follow and end free tiers.

I would love to see a show of hands at how many people would like to get paid less for their main source of income.

I support your opinion 100%

Its absolutely ridiculous that these sites stream free music. It just cheapens the value of music. It blows my mind that the labels actually allowed this to happen. Can you imagine if sites would stream free movies that just were in the theater a week ago? That is exactly what they are doing with these free music services.

I really hope that Apple stance of not giving away music for free will convience the labels that free streaming should not be allowed.

All the companies that allow free streaming are trying to pay for it by flooding the user with advertising (Pandora) or data mining the user (Google). IMO that is not a healthy business model for the music industry.

 

[Zaft]

Im liking spotify more anyway, plus it supports chrome cast.