Apple Music Store Features & Subscription Price Details: New Service Overselling?

Apple Inc. has always been known to market expensive products, and it seems its newest music service won't be an exception.

People have been complaining about the price of Apple Music, a year after the company purchased Beats Entertainment, the headphone and on-demand music streaming company founded by Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre.

The Los Angeles Times noted that Apple Music will have high-definition video, playlists, and a worldwide radio station to compete with other streaming services like Spotify, Tidal, and YouTube. The company also offers artist pages that will allow celebrities to interact directly with their fans.

However, the LA Times noted that in a world where fans don't really need help finding music anymore, only Apple and its shareholders seem to benefit from the release of their new streaming service.

According to The Verge, Apple Music will cost users $9.99 a month, or $14.99 for a family plan for up to six members. While it looks cheaper than Spotify's $14.99 for two users, Apple Music will need to have the iCloud Family Sharing. Also unlike Spotify and YouTube, LA Times noted that Apple Music requires a subscription to work, which in the long run won't be enticing to teens and college students who rely on allowance or have limited funds.

Wired pointed out that even though millions of people own Apple products, the Cupertino-based company entered the world of streaming a little too late, and the price is not helping. The website noted that Apple Inc. has gone from being the king of music with its MP3 players, to being left out from the music scene in the course of a decade. Although they turned the music scene around with the introduction of their iPods in 2001 and the iTunes store in 2003, the rest of the world has moved on and streaming became a big part of the music industry, something that until the release of Apple Music later this month, Apple hasn't been a part of.

Wired also cited a research from Music Watch, which said that in the U.S., around 19 million streamers pay for a service like Spotify or Pandora despite the total number being around 135 million. For Apple Music to compete, their offer should be more than worth the price. Rhapsody Chief Financial Officer said, "When you have to pay for it, you will start looking for the best product. We have a very loyal basis. We've seen a lot of market entrants, and seen a lot of people drown."

Do you think it will be worth it to pay for Apple Music?