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Apple want a piece of the music streaming pie
Other | Tuesday 23rd September 2014 | Bobby
Having locked down Dr. Dre and his Beats in a massive $3bn deal, the announcement of the Apple Watch and the recent release of the iPhone 6, Apple seem to have set their sights on the music streaming aspect of life. Big talking points after the Beats acquisition have focused around where the future of Beats Music (Beats own music streaming service) lies, with many experts believing the service would be left for dead, amongst blown speakers and 1st generation iPods. 
"We're coming for your ears"
The absence of the Beats Music app from the new iPhone 6 and Apple Watch initially suggested Apple were looking to "Shut down" Beats Music. However earlier today a representative of the Silicon Valley tech giant has been forced speak up, squashing claims to reveal they are simply "modifying" the music streaming service. While no further details have been given, reports suggest a move toward some kind of meta-streaming iTunes behemoth looks imminent, as Beats Music tech engineers have already made moves and joined the iTunes crew. Add this to the fact music streaming has grown a considerable 32 percent in the U.S. during 2013 and continues do so, while digital sales of music have fallen 13.3% and you're left with a massive "Apple should probably have a crack at streaming to our ears" way of thinking.
Given Apple's penchant for redefining the way we approach technology, all the makings for Apple to push into a market currently dominated by Spotify and it's 10 million paying subscribers, are there. A massive push would be needed to improve on Beats Music's 250,000 subscribers, but Apple would no doubt relish an opportunity to take those numbers from their main rival. With the recent merging of the Beats Music service into Apple TV, Apple's own set-top box, it looks like plans for a full-scale streaming war are already in motion, and for our music loving ears, that can only be a good thing.
