CHINA TOPIX

11/02/2024 01:38:32 pm

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Apple Music Now Offers iTunes Movies and iBooks in China

Apple Music

(Photo : Reuters) Apple Inc. has finally announced that its iTunes Movies and iBooks are now available to Android users in China.

Chinese music-streaming fans may now subscribe to iTunes Movies and iBooks as Apple Inc. has finally announced that its services are now available to Android users in China. Included on their long list of artists are both Chinese and international performers. Thus, subscribers may choose from a vast library of songs also being offered in other countries worldwide.

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Initially, subscribers may enjoy Apple's music-streaming services free of charge for a trial period of three months. Afterwards, the service will cost 10 yuan ($1.57) per month. The service charge is quite lower than its normal cost in other countries. This means that Apple Inc. is serious with its plans of getting into the competition with the existing music-streaming providers in China and the Asian region.

In a previous article posted in The Wall Street Journal, Counterpoint, a research firm, stated that Apple's $9.99 per month subscription plan may catch customers from the West but not from the Asian countries. "In Asia, the pricing needs to be near free or around $2-$5 per month to hit the sweet spot," said Neil Shah, analyst at Counterpoint.

Also, Apple Music must be able to provide the customers with better features and list of artists to surpass its major competitors and snatch some good share of the market.

On a press release by Apple Inc., some of the artists that will be featured in China are the local artists including Eason Chan, Li Ronghao, JJ Lin and G.E.M. Aside from these Chinese performers, subscribers may also choose from the list of international artists like Taylor Swift and other well-known music icons. Thus, customers may also rent or purchase their favorite Chinese and Hollywood movies from the iTunes store. Great books are also being offered from the iBookstore for free or a low price starting at 0.5 yuan.

"Customers in China love the App Store and have made it our largest market in the world for app downloads," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services.

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