Th popular app Apple Music offers millions of songs from its catalog, Apple Music in China features music from artists including Eason Chan, Li Ronghao, JJ Lin and G.E.M., as well as a wide range of global artists including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and many more.
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After a three-month trial membership, Apple Music will cost 10 RMB per month, or about $1.60, which means it is the same price as a premium membership on Tencent’s QQ Music. Afterwards, they will be charged 10 RMB ($1.6) a month or 15 RMB ($2.4) for a family subscription that allows for six family members.
China is already the largest market in the world for App Store downloads, and an increasingly important market for Apple – which is why China was one of 12 countries to get the company’s latest iPhones on day one. Songs and albums remain off-limits to iPhone and iPad users with a local Chinese Apple ID, according to Apple’s online support page. Films on iTunes will start at 5 yuan for a HD rental and 18 yuan to buy a new release.
When Apple Music was rolled out earlier this year, against all expectations, the service excluded mainland China, though it was made available in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Online music piracy is a huge problem in China, but the government recently launched a host of initiatives to crack down on copyright infringement.
iTunes Movies and iBooks were also jointly released for Chinese consumers.
Apple Music will open its doors September 30, where subscribers can try out the service for free for three months.
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Apple Music was introduced in more than 100 countries and regions following an announcement at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June. In August, Apple said 21 percent of people who signed up the trial weren’t continuing to use the service, countering claims from research company MusicWatch that 48 percent weren’t continuing the service. Yet, the smartphone producer seemed to pay very little attention to the demands of these customers, especially in regard to their music and movie streaming preferences.
