Apple Music Subscribers Can Stream Songs Without Buying Wi-Fi on American Airlines Flights in U.S. Starting Friday - MacRumors
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Apple Music Subscribers Can Stream Songs Without Buying Wi-Fi on American Airlines Flights in U.S. Starting Friday

Apple today announced that, starting February 1, Apple Music subscribers can access ‌Apple Music‌ on any American Airlines flight in the United States equipped with Viasat satellite technology with no Wi-Fi purchase required.

aa apple music
American Airlines is the first commercial airline to provide exclusive access to ‌Apple Music‌ through complimentary inflight Wi-Fi. This applies to the iPhone and likely extends to the iPad, Mac or PC, and Android smartphones.

American Airlines will also be offering a collection of unique city-themed playlists through ‌Apple Music‌ starting February 1.

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Top Rated Comments

93 months ago
This is the horrible **** that happens with loss of net neutrality. Why only Apple Music? Why not Spotify or Google or whatever? Why only music? Data is data...
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
az431 Avatar
93 months ago
Free streaming is all good, but it doesn't help that Apple Music lacks behind Spotify in features, UI and customers.
Offering complementaries is useless, if the product itself isn't as complimentary as its competitor.
50 million people disagree.
[doublepost=1548854411][/doublepost]
Net neutrality is a losing battle really.
How is this a net neutrality issue? If you connect to the internet during the flight you can listen to any streaming service you want.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
93 months ago
Net neutrality is a losing battle really.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
93 months ago
It's not about getting free wifi. It is also not about conglomerates and their subsidiaries. It is about treating all data equally. Are they doing this? No. Case closed.
No, it’s about you not understanding what Net Neutrality is and throwing around terms you don’t understand and have no business discussing because of that.

The ISP is Gogo or ViaSat. Period.

American Airlines buys from them. They can sell it to you and tell you what you can and cannot do with it. They are not the ISP and never will be. This is not a Net Neutrality issue, no matter how much you want to stand on a soapbox and try to make it one. It’s literally the same as Starbucks blocking P0rn Hub, NOT a net neutrality issue. They’re providing you access to internet THEY purchased, and they can damn well tell you what you can and cannot do with it. The ISP’s ability to serve the content is not a question.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/28/18116576/starbucks-public-wi-fi-porn-block
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
93 months ago
How is this a net neutrality issue? If you connect to the internet during the flight you can listen to any streaming service you want.
Well, connecting to the internet during a flight costs money. Apple music is now complimentary. Therefore Apple music has an advantage. Therefore it does matter what service you are using. Therefore the internet connection on the flight is not neutral.

This case is really the definition of net neutrality.
[doublepost=1548856083][/doublepost]
This isn't a Net Neutrality issue in any way, shape, or form. It isn't that hard to figure that much out.

American charges for WiFi access on their flights. For Apple Music, they won't make you pay. American Airlines isn't an ISP, they purchase internet access themselves - then charge the passenger for access to it.
Of course they act as an ISP in this case. They literally provide internet service during the flight.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
93 months ago
Net neutrality is a losing battle really.
Agreed. You can look at this as free wifi, but you have to pay for certain services (ie. everything that isn't apple music). This is not treating all data the same.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)