Apple to place its ad-supported iTunes Radio stations behind a paywall
Apple’s online radio service is set to drop its free, ad-supported model and join the rest of Apple Music behind a paywall.
As of 29 January, Beats 1 will be the only radio station not behind a paywall as the company looks to garner $10 per month subscribers.
Marking a drastic shift from the ad-supported model, iTunes Radio, which is available in the US and Australia, informed customers of the changes on Friday via email.
An Apple spokesperson told BuzzFeed: “We are making Beats 1 the premier free broadcast from Apple and phasing out the ad-supported stations at the end of January.
“Additionally, with an Apple Music membership, listeners can access dozens of radio stations curated by our team of music experts, covering a range of genres, commercial-free with unlimited skips. The free three-month trial of Apple Music includes radio.”
The announcement comes briefly after Apple announced it was shuttering its iOS advertising platform iAd to allow publishers and sellers to negotiate their own ads – and keep all the revenues.