It’s been hinted at repeatedly ever since Apple acquired Beats Electronics earlier this year, but it looks like the Beats Music paid subscription service is finally going to become an inseparable part of iOS devices in 2015. Financial Times reports that the service could make its way into an iOS software update as early as next March, according to those familiar with the matter.
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“The move represents Apple’s first attempt to capitalize on Beats since it bought the headphone maker and streaming service,” writes FT. “It will also be Apple’s first big push into subscription music at a time when iTunes downloads are in decline and some high-profile artists such as Taylor Swift remain skeptical about the economics of streaming.”
Apple staked its claim in the world of streaming music last year with the launch of iTunes Radio, but despite its built-in user base, it doesn’t have many of the advanced features users have come to expect from similar services such as Pandora and Spotify. Bundling Beats Music with the iPhone could put Apple on a level playing field with some of the biggest names in the industry.
Midia Research, a music analysis firm, estimates that Beats Music currently has only 110,000 subscribers, but once the app is installed on every iOS device in the world, those numbers are sure to skyrocket.
Apple declined to comment on the Financial Times report.
