Apple is so hellbent on dominating the streaming music game, it’s doing something I never thought I’d see: Bringing its first app ever to Android. Starting this fall, Apple’s new Beats-fueled streaming music service will be available on Android phones. Apple Music is the first native Apple app to bust out of Apple’s walled garden.
The decision to bring Apple Music to Android makes it clear that right now, Apple cares more about crushing Spotify than keeping its gates locked. There’s a longer wait, but Android users will have the same $10 a month subscription price as people with Apple phones.
It doesn’t look like Apple’s $15 family plan will be available, since it requires iCloud family sharing. (I’ve emailed Apple to clarify.) This represents a significant strategy shift for Apple. Whether it’s enough to actually rival Spotify, we won’t know until we spend some quality time with Tim Cook and Jimmy Iovine’s music-streaming creation.
Contact the author at kate.knibbs@gizmodo.com.
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