Apple take on Spotify

Apple are set to rival music streaming site, Spotify, with the launch of Apple Music.

The company’s answer to Spotify is coming to iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac and PC on June 30 in 100 countries, before hitting Apple TV and Android phones this autumn.

In addition to offering millions of tracks to stream and curated playlists from the iTunes library, Apple Music will be supplemented by a radio station called Beats1.

Beats1 will broadcast around the globe 24 hours a day from three cities – LA, New York and London – hosted by DJs including Zane Lowe.

Apple Music aims to differentiate itself from its competitors with advanced music selection algorithms.

A feature called For You will scan the user’s music collection and serve them with relevant recommendations, with added accuracy thanks to a layer of human curation.

Artists will also be able to use Apple Music to talk directly to their fans and share exclusive content through a service called Connect. Pharrell and Drake are among the musicians on board at launch.

Apple Music will support Siri on iPhone, allowing users to make track requests via vocal commands or even ask the software to play the top song from a specific year.

“We love music, and the new Apple Music service puts an incredible experience at every fan’s fingertips,” said Apple’s Eddy Cue.

“All the ways people love enjoying music come together in one app – a revolutionary streaming service, live worldwide radio and an exciting way for fans to connect with artists.”

Apple Music will be free to sample for three months, after which it will cost $9.99 per month for an individual membership or $14.99 per month for a family plan for up to six people.