Apple in Talks With Florence and the Machine, Taylor Swift About Exclusive Beats Content
Apple couldn't establish lower pricing for its upcoming music service to distinguish it from competing services, so the company is hoping to draw in subscribers by offering exclusive content. Apple has asked Florence and the Machine and a dozen other artists for exclusive deals to promote the upcoming music service, reports Bloomberg.
Apple is said to be in talks with Florence and the Machine about limited streaming rights to a track for the band's upcoming album in June, and Apple execs have also approached Taylor Swift and others in the hopes of establishing a deal. An exclusive deal with Taylor Swift could be a big win for Apple as she's opted to pull her music from some streaming services like Spotify. Such exclusives could bring in music-loving subscribers that might otherwise not pay for a music subscription.
The strategy is similar to a tactic employed by Jay-Z's recently relaunched music service Tidal, which also hopes to attract subscribers through content that can't be obtained elsewhere. At launch, Tidal released a new song from Beyonce, following it up with an exclusive song from Rihanna.
Exclusives could work to help Apple garner subscribers, but the company's most promising tool for gaining subscribers is its huge existing customer base. Millions of people own iPhones and iPads, and Apple can create a streaming music app that's heavily integrated within iTunes and installed on Apple devices automatically.
As we've heard in previous rumors, Apple is working to completely revamp Beats Music to turn it into an all new subscription music service. It may gain a new name, says Bloomberg, and it will cost $9.99 per month for individuals, with a family plan available for $14.99.
Apple may be planning to unveil its new streaming music service at its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
Popular Stories
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
The iPhone 18 Pro Max will feature a bigger battery for continued best-in-class battery life, according to a known Weibo leaker.
Citing supply chain information, the Weibo user known as "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a battery capacity of 5,100 to 5,200 mAh. Combined with the efficiency improvements of the A20 Pro chip, made with TSMC's 2nm process, the...
