Apple is hiking fees for the Apple Music and Apple TV+ subscription services for the first time.
In the U.S., the cost of Apple TV+ for new and existing subscribers will increase to $6.99 per month. That’s a 40% increase form the original $4.99 per month, the price point it originally launched at in November 2019.
Apple Music is increasing from $9.99 to $10.99 per month for the individual plan, while the family plan (which provides up to six accounts) will increase $2, from $14.99 to $16.99 per month. It’s the first price hike for the service since it first bowed in June 2015.
In addition, the price of the Apple One bundle — which includes Apple Music and Apple TV+ — will increase starting Monday (Oct. 24), rising $2 from $14.95 to $16.95 per month for the individual plan. Apple One also includes Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple News+ and Apple Fitness+.
Regarding Apple TV+, a company rep said in a statemen to Variety, “We introduced Apple TV+ at a very low price because we started with just a few shows and movies. Three years later, Apple TV+ is home to an extensive selection of award-winning and broadly acclaimed series, feature films, documentaries, and kids and family entertainment from the world’s most creative storytellers.”
Apple cited higher music licensing costs for higher pricing on Apple Music plans. “The change to Apple Music is due to an increase in licensing costs, and in turn, artists and songwriters will earn more for the streaming of their music. We also continue to add innovative features that make Apple Music the world’s best listening experience,” the Apple rep said.
Apple TV+ currently offers dozens of original titles, including the 2022 Oscar best picture winner, “CODA”; Emmy-winning series “Ted Lasso”; series including “Shantaram,” starring Charlie Hunnam and based on the bestselling novel, as well as “Severance,” “Bad Sisters,” “Mythic Quest” and “Pachinko”; and documentary films such as “Sidney,” about legendary actor Sidney Poitier. Apple TV+ also offers MLB’s “Friday Night Baseball” live games, and inked a deal to stream Major League Soccer matches starting in early 2023.
For Apple Music, which offers a catalog of more than 100 million songs, the primary rival is Spotify, which for now is still priced at $9.99/month (individual) and $15.99/month (family) in the U.S.
Apple continues to offer special free promos to Apple Music and Apple TV+ for customers who buy certain new products. It offers three months of Apple TV+ free with the purchase of a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K or Mac; and six months of Apple Music free with eligible AirPods earbuds, Beats headphones or HomePod speakers.
The price increases, which were first reported by 9to5Mac, will take effect for existing customers with their next billing cycle. Here are the price increases for the U.S. market:
Apple TV+
- Monthly: $6.99 per month (up from $4.99)
- Annual: $69 per year (up from $49.99)
Apple Music
- Individual: $10.99 per month (up from $9.99)
- Family: $16.99 per month (up from $14.99)
- Individual Annual: $109 per year (up from $99)
Apple One
- Individual: $16.95 per month (up from $14.95)
- Family: $22.95 per month (up from $19.95)
- Premier: $32.95 per month (up from $29.95)
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