European Regulators to Review if Apple Acquiring Shazam Will Significantly Hurt Competition

[MacRumors]

The European Commission today announced it has accepted requests from Austria, France, Iceland, Italy, Norway, Spain, and Sweden to assess Apple's proposed acquisition of Shazam. The agreement is still pending approval.

The regulatory body will consider whether the transaction may lead to a significant adverse effect on competition in Europe:

On the basis of the elements submitted by Austria and the countries joining the referral request, and without prejudice to the outcome of its full investigation, the Commission considers that the transaction may have a significant adverse effect on competition in the European Economic Area. The Commission has also concluded that it is the best placed authority to deal with the potential cross-border effects of the transaction.

The European Commission didn't specify how the deal could hurt competition, but Shazam does have partnerships with European companies like Spotify that could be affected by the acquisition. However, it's standard for major acquisitions to be subject to review, so the deal may be approved of without scrutiny.

Apple confirmed it plans to acquire Shazam in December in a statement provided to MacRumors and other publications:

We are thrilled that Shazam and its talented team will be joining Apple. Since the launch of the App Store, Shazam has consistently ranked as one of the most popular apps for iOS. Today, it's used by hundreds of millions of people around the world, across multiple platforms. Apple Music and Shazam are a natural fit, sharing a passion for music discovery and delivering great music experiences to our users. We have exciting plans in store, and we look forward to combining with Shazam upon approval of today's agreement.

Shazam is a popular service that can identify the name and lyrics of songs, music videos, TV shows, and more. It has apps across iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, and iMessage, while the service has been built into Siri since iOS 8. The app is also integrated with streaming music services like Apple Music.

In September 2016, Shazam announced that its mobile apps had been downloaded more than one billion times since launching. Shazam's original iPhone app launched in 2008, and uses machine learning algorithms to identify audio clips. The app has since expanded into areas like augmented reality.

Article Link: European Regulators to Review if Apple Acquiring Shazam Will Significantly Hurt Competition

 

[now i see it]

Goodbye cross platform. Hello wall.

 

[justperry]

the Commission considers that the transaction may have a significant adverse effect on competition

What effect, the story tells no reason for what is behind it.

 

[LovingTeddy]

What effect, the story tells no reason for what is behind it.

Base on Apple and its previous purchase, we will know that Apple will stop make Android version of Shazam. Which will negatively effect competition.

I will say though, if this transaction go through, one of the condition is that Apple will continue support Android version of Shazam.

 

[NightStorm]

Base on Apple and its previous purchase, we will know that Apple will stop make Android version of Shazam. Which will negatively effect competition.

I will say though, if this transaction go through, one of the condition is that Apple will continue support Android version of Shazam.

As far as I'm aware, Apple has continued to make Apple Music (formerly Beats One) for Android available.

 

[Kabeyun]

Goodbye cross platform. Hello wall.

Yes, but you can always use SoundHound.

 

[LovingTeddy]

As far as I'm aware, Apple has continued to make Apple Music (formerly Beats One) for Android available.

well. Only one of Apple application available on Android and it is directly benefiting Apple. Making Shazam available on Android makes no benefit for Apple. Therefore, Apple could stop making Shazam for Android as well.

Think about Apple's purchase of Buddybuild. They shutdown Android support after the acquisition. Same thing could happen to Shazam as well

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

There are other options out there such as Soundhound.

 

[ersan191]

Spoiler alert: No, it won't significantly hurt competition.

It's going to continue to identify songs, not having a button to open the song in Spotify afterwards is not exactly an international antitrust crisis.

 

[thisisnotmyname]

competition in the important industry of naming that tune. Quick, someone name a competitor to Shazam today!

 

[FelixDerKater]

well. Only one of Apple application available on Android and it is directly benefiting Apple. Making Shazam available on Android makes no benefit for Apple. Therefore, Apple could stop making Shazam for Android as well.

Think about Apple's purchase of Buddybuild. They shutdown Android support after the acquisition. Same thing could happen to Shazam as well

It could become fully integrated and not exist as an independent app.

 

[RickInHouston]

As far as I'm aware, Apple has continued to make Apple Music (formerly Beats One) for Android available.

Uh, no thank you. That's not really necessary.

 

[KidAKidB]

As far as I'm aware, Apple has continued to make Apple Music (formerly Beats One) for Android available.

That's only because it benefits themselves though. The Android app is just an afterthought at this point.

 

[JediZenMaster]

That's only because it benefits themselves though. The Android app is just an afterthought at this point.

So a business who makes a decision that benefits themselves. Never heard of such a thing after Apple should say screw shareholders then.
[doublepost=1517942167][/doublepost]

competition in the important industry of naming that tune. Quick, someone name a competitor to Shazam today!

Soundhound

 

[ersan191]

well. Only one of Apple application available on Android and it is directly benefiting Apple. Making Shazam available on Android makes no benefit for Apple. Therefore, Apple could stop making Shazam for Android as well.

Think about Apple's purchase of Buddybuild. They shutdown Android support after the acquisition. Same thing could happen to Shazam as well

That's only because it benefits themselves though. The Android app is just an afterthought at this point.

If the whole reason for them buying Shazam was to funnel more people into Apple Music AND Apple Music is available on Android then... well I'll let you do the math.

 

[ActionableMango]

SoundHound works noticeably better for me. It is amazing to me that SoundHound can correctly identify a song even when I hum it in a very poor manner including portions with outright errors and omissions because I cannot remember it correctly.

 

[cogitodexter]

SoundHound works noticeably better for me. It is amazing to me that SoundHound can correctly identify a song even when I hum it in a very poor manner including portions with outright errors and omissions because I cannot remember it correctly.

Based on that I just downloaded it and I can affirm that it very much does identify a badly hummed track. Astonishing!

 

[Scottsoapbox]

competition in the 'what is this song' market?

an industry of free apps that has generated no revenue?

 

[NightFox]

competition in the 'what is this song' market?

an industry of free apps that has generated no revenue?

It's a gateway app to music services. It's not the apps where the competition is, it's where they take you to when you want to buy the song you've just ID'd.

 

[ersan191]

It's a gateway app to music services. It's not the apps where the competition is, it's where they take you to when you want to buy the song you've just ID'd.

The idea that people can't be bothered to take an extra few seconds to type the identified artist or song name into their preferred music subscription service does not warrant an international antitrust investigation.

 

[dogslobber]

Europe and Britain are lucky to have the European Union looking out for their interests.

 

[Kabeyun]

SoundHound works noticeably better for me. It is amazing to me that SoundHound can correctly identify a song even when I hum it in a very poor manner including portions with outright errors and omissions because I cannot remember it correctly.

It’s true. SoundHound is just better.

 

[mtneer]

Just hope that Shazam doesn't end up like what happened to the original Siri's trajectory..

 

[LovingTeddy]

If the whole reason for them buying Shazam was to funnel more people into Apple Music AND Apple Music is available on Android then... well I'll let you do the math.

For people who care less about Apple Music and will not subscribe to Apple Music, but still want Shazam, what now? I am sure as hell Apple will can Android version after the transaction.

 

[ersan191]

For people who care less about Apple Music and will not subscribe to Apple Music, but still want Shazam, what now? I am sure as hell Apple will can Android version after the transaction.

You didn't do the math, it was very simple math too.

I'll do it for you:
Apple Music exists on Android, there is no reason for them to kill off the Android version of Shazam because it has the potential to get them more users for Apple Music ON ANDROID

If they ever decide to get rid of Apple Music on Android, then you should be worried - but there has been no indication of that so far.

You're going to lose buttons on Shazam that link directly to other providers besides AM - that's it - you'll have to bear the inconvenience of typing a song name into Spotify on your own or use another service like SoundHound. Apple spent $400 million for this privilege, deal with it.