#AppleMusic#WWDC–Apple Music, labels investigated for potential antitrust violations :
Apple Music may have everybody talking following its unveilingat WWDC on Monday, but it isn’t exactly off to a great start. According to one report, Apple and a number of labels are already being investigated by officials for potential antitrust violations.
“The attorneys general wanted to know whether Apple pressured the music labels — or whether the labels conspired with Apple and one another — to withdraw support for popular“freemium” services offered by companies like Spotify in favor of Apple’s paid music subscriptions,” reports The New York Times.
Networks Spotify’s freemium streaming plan — like many others — allows listeners to enjoy all the music they wantin return for listening to occasional ads. It’s designedto entice people into signing up for and trying out the service in the hope that they will enjoy it and upgrade to a paid subscription.
But recent reports have speculated that Apple has been pressuring labels into forcing Spotify and other rivals to drop those freemiumplans. This has led to scrutiny from the European Commission, the Departmentof Justice, and the Federal Trade Commission.
Apple Music will initially offera three-month free trial to all users, but after that, it will cost $9.99 a month — or$14.99 if you choose the family plan for up to six people.
There is no freemiumoption, though users will be able to enjoy Beats 1 — the 24/7 internet radio service — at no cost.
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