Apple acquires classical music streaming service Primephonic
Apple announced on Monday its acquisition of Primephonic, a service that specializes in streaming classical music, without disclosing the financial terms of the deal.
Apple considered this step will significantly improve classical music experience, as the U.S.-based giant aims to incorporate the service’s functionality and playlists into Apple Music.
The Big Tech company explained that in the coming months, Apple Music classical fans will get a dedicated experience with Primephonic, including better browsing and search capabilities, detailed displays of classical music metadata, and new features and benefits.
As per the new agreement, the three-year-old service is no longer available for new subscribers and will be taken offline beginning September 7.
Apple Music plans to launch a dedicated classical music app next year combining Primephonic’s classical user interface with more added features.
In the meantime, current Primephonic subscribers will receive six months of Apple Music for free, providing access to hundreds of thousands of classical albums.
Additionally, Primephonic published a note on its website asking its users to check their emails for more details about their six-month free trail on Apple Music, and for any information related to refund.
According to Primephonic’s FAQ, customers with an active subscription will receive a prorated refund.
“We love and have a deep respect for classical music, and Primephonic has become a fan favorite for classical enthusiasts,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats in a statement.
Meanwhile, Thomas Steffens, Primephonic’s co-founder and CEO described the new deal as a” tremendous development for the classical music industry.”
It’s worth noting that the acquisition adds more than 75 million songs to Apple Music’s library. Meanwhile, Spotify follows close behind with more than 70 million songs.