I use iTunes Radio a lot at work and I've learned about new artists this way, and the best part no commercials with iTunes Match.
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Carrier T-Mobile to offer free music subscription on June 18 (bad news for Spotify, Beats)
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I use iTunes Radio a lot at work and I've learned about new artists this way, and the best part no commercials with iTunes Match.
Here's why the wireless carriers LOVE the bundle:
A lot of customers who have unlimited talk and unlimited text don't really need them. For many users, 1000 minutes, 1000 texts a month is more than sufficient.
The wireless carriers are making the same revenue whether the users use 10,000 minutes/text a month or just 1000 minutes/text.
If they can bundle "unlimited music," it's more revenue for them. Overnight, they will be the middleman between music that the music labels "sell" and the music that people "buy."
Right now, it's music makers --> Itunes or Amazon or Walmart or Target or Spotify ---> music users
It could soon be, music makers ---> AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile/Sprint ---> music users.
Cricket Wireless is very successful with Muve Music (2 million + subscribers) by bundling: If you have an Android smarphone plan, you are bundled with Muve Music
The music industry is salivating at a Big Carrier doing the same. Cricket (4-5 million) is tiny compare to T-Mobile (50 million).
The music industry also know that if T-Mobile is successful with the bundle ($2 per subscriber), it will force the other carriers to follow suit.
A lot of customers who have unlimited talk and unlimited text don't really need them. For many users, 1000 minutes, 1000 texts a month is more than sufficient.
The wireless carriers are making the same revenue whether the users use 10,000 minutes/text a month or just 1000 minutes/text.
If they can bundle "unlimited music," it's more revenue for them. Overnight, they will be the middleman between music that the music labels "sell" and the music that people "buy."
Right now, it's music makers --> Itunes or Amazon or Walmart or Target or Spotify ---> music users
It could soon be, music makers ---> AT&T/Verizon/T-Mobile/Sprint ---> music users.
Cricket Wireless is very successful with Muve Music (2 million + subscribers) by bundling: If you have an Android smarphone plan, you are bundled with Muve Music
The music industry is salivating at a Big Carrier doing the same. Cricket (4-5 million) is tiny compare to T-Mobile (50 million).
The music industry also know that if T-Mobile is successful with the bundle ($2 per subscriber), it will force the other carriers to follow suit.
Mobile plan bundling is the Holy Grail for the music industry.
There are two type of "bundles."
Soft bundle like Beats Music with AT&T and Spotify with Sprint. It's like an add-on feature similar to international calling to Mexico is an add-on feature.
hard bundle is like Muve Music with Cricket. 100% of Android smartphone users on Cricket are bundled. That's why the subscriber reach is about 50%. For example,
100% = Cricket
50% = Android (Muve Music bundle)
40% = flip phones
10% = iphone
If T-Mobile does a hard bundle on June 18, overnight it will have 30 million + subscribers. That's 100 times bigger than Beats Music subscriber base and 3 times bigger than Spotify.
The music industry is giving T-Mobile a lot of incentive to do a hard bundle. It's a win win win for everyone.
Win for T-Mobile: middle-man cut
Win for music industry: hard bundle is the holy grail for them
Win for customers: $2-3 a month for unlimited music download
If the monthly bill is $40 for unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data, isn't $2-3 a month for unlimited music download a bargain?
There are two type of "bundles."
Soft bundle like Beats Music with AT&T and Spotify with Sprint. It's like an add-on feature similar to international calling to Mexico is an add-on feature.
hard bundle is like Muve Music with Cricket. 100% of Android smartphone users on Cricket are bundled. That's why the subscriber reach is about 50%. For example,
100% = Cricket
50% = Android (Muve Music bundle)
40% = flip phones
10% = iphone
If T-Mobile does a hard bundle on June 18, overnight it will have 30 million + subscribers. That's 100 times bigger than Beats Music subscriber base and 3 times bigger than Spotify.
The music industry is giving T-Mobile a lot of incentive to do a hard bundle. It's a win win win for everyone.
Win for T-Mobile: middle-man cut
Win for music industry: hard bundle is the holy grail for them
Win for customers: $2-3 a month for unlimited music download
If the monthly bill is $40 for unlimited talk, text and 1GB of data, isn't $2-3 a month for unlimited music download a bargain?
Seems like a win for everybody but I like music my way, which is why I don't use iTunes Radio and would rather pay Sirius.
Here's Sprint and Spotify "soft" bundle:
Framily (1-5 people) 6 months free Premium and then $7.99/month
Framily (6-10 people) 6 months free Premium and then $4.99/month
ALL other Customers 3 months free Premium and then $9.99/month
Framily (1-5 people) 6 months free Premium and then $7.99/month
Framily (6-10 people) 6 months free Premium and then $4.99/month
ALL other Customers 3 months free Premium and then $9.99/month