Usher to headline Super Bowl halftime show

NEW YORK -- Hitmaker Usher will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February, he and the NFL announced Sunday.

The pop and R&B singer behind chart-toppers including "U Got It Bad," "My Boo," "Yeah!" and "OMG" will helm one of the world's most-watched stages in Las Vegas during the sporting event scheduled for February 11, 2024.

"It's an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list. I can't wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they've seen from me before,” Usher said in a statement.

The 44-year-old from Atlanta is one of best-selling artists of the early 2000s, and more recently has been a draw on the Vegas concert residency scene.

His catalogue of hits includes features from Lil Jon, Ludacris, Alicia Keys and will.i.am., so it's not unlikely his set will include some special guests.

Since 2019 the halftime show during American football's title game has been produced by Roc Nation, the entertainment outfit founded by New York rapper-mogul Jay-Z.

The partnership has resulted in halftimes performed by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, The Weeknd, a hip-hop showcase that included Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Kendrick Lamar, and 2022's career-spanning set by Rihanna.

Since last year Apple Music is the event's main sponsor, having ousted Pepsi after reportedly paying $50 million for the privilege.

The halftime performance slot is one of the industry's most coveted: the Super Bowl is the most-watched US television broadcast.

In 2022 Nielsen estimated the game drew more than 113 million viewers.

That year the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles but it was Rihanna who stole the show: the megastar made her long-awaited return to the stage at halftime, and dominated the conversation after revealing she was pregnant with her second child.

Agence France-Presse

Apple becomes first company to hit $3 trillion market value, then slips

Apple Inc on Monday became the first company to hit a $3 trillion stock market value, before ending the day a hair below that milestone, as investors bet the iPhone maker will keep launching best-selling products as it explores new markets such as automated cars and virtual reality.

On the first day of trading in 2022, the Silicon Valley company's shares hit an intraday record high of $182.88, putting Apple's market value just above $3 trillion. The stock ended the session up 2.5 percent at $182.01, with Apple's market capitalization at $2.99 trillion.

The world's most valuable company reached the milestone as investors bet that consumers will continue to shell out top dollar for iPhones, MacBooks and services such as Apple TV and Apple Music.

"It's a fantastic accomplishment and certainly worthy to be celebrated," said Jake Dollarhide, chief executive officer of Longbow Asset Management in Tulsa, Oklahoma. "It just shows you how far Apple has come, and how dominant it is seen as in the majority of investors' eyes."

Apple shared the $2 trillion market value club with Microsoft Corp, which is now worth about $2.5 trillion. Alphabet Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Tesla Inc have market values above $1 trillion. Saudi Arabian Oil Co is valued at about $1.9 trillion, according to Refinitiv.

"The market is rewarding companies that have strong fundamentals and balance sheets, and the companies that are hitting these sort of huge market caps have proven they are strong businesses and not speculation,” said Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Apple's shares have climbed around 5,800 percent since co-founder and former chief executive Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in January 2007, far outpacing the S&P 500's gain of about 230 percent during the same period.

Under Tim Cook, who in 2011 became chief executive following Jobs' death, Apple has sharply increased its revenue from services like video streaming and music. That helped Apple reduce its reliance on the iPhone to about 52 percent of total revenue in fiscal 2021 from over 60 percent in 2018, pleasing investors worried the company relied too much on its top-selling product.

Still, some investors worry Apple is hitting the limits of how much it can expand its user base and how much cash it can squeeze from each user, with no guarantees that future product categories will prove as lucrative as the iPhone.

The rapid embrace of technologies such as 5G, virtual reality and artificial intelligence has also increased the allure of Apple and other Big Tech companies.

In China, the world's largest smartphone market, Apple continued to lead for the second straight month, beating rivals such as Vivo and Xiaomi, recent data from CounterPoint Research showed.

With Tesla now the world's most valuable automaker as Wall Street bets heavily on electric cars, many investors expect Apple to launch its own vehicle within the next few years.

"The icing on the cake, which may turn out to be the cake, is the potential for an EV car," Rhys Williams, chief strategist at Spouting Rock Asset Management said.

Just as Apple's market capitalization hits the $3 trillion milestone, its share price as a percentage of the Nasdaq 100 index's value is bumping up against a key technical level. In recent prior times, the stock price has risen above such a level and then subsequently declined.

-reuters-

EU opens antitrust cases against Apple

BRUSSELS - The EU's powerful antitrust authority opened a series of cases against Apple on Tuesday, including one brought by Spotify alleging the iPhone maker makes unfair use of its app store.

The European Commission also launched an in-depth investigation into Apple Pay, amid concerns that the fast-growing and easy-to-use payment system is shutting out rivals.

The cases put Apple back into the EU's crosshairs four years after Brussels ordered the California-based giant to repay 13 billion euros ($14.7 billion at current rates) in back taxes on antitrust concerns.

The latest onslaught came after Spotify filed a formal complaint in 2019 that took issue with restrictions by Apple on apps that don't use its payment system on its App Store.

Apple takes a 30 percent cut for businesses using its store, which Spotify says amounts to a violation of fair competition rules.

"It appears that Apple obtained a 'gatekeeper' role when it comes to the distribution of apps and content to users of Apple's popular devices," said EU Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager in a statement.

"We need to ensure that Apple's rules do not distort competition in markets where Apple is competing with other app developers, for example with its music streaming service Apple Music or with Apple Books," she said.

Vestager also opened a full-scale probe into Apple Pay where authorities are worried that the company could take a commanding lead in a booming business.

Launched in 2014, Apple Pay allows iPhone users to make payments at retailers by touching their devices to the same terminals currently used for credit and debit cards.

But any company wanting to use the technology on an iPhone -- whether a bank or the London metro system -- must pass through Apple Pay for a fee.

Apple firmly rejected the cases and hit out at its rivals.

"It's disappointing the European Commission is advancing baseless complaints from a handful of companies who simply want a free ride, and don't want to play by the same rules as everyone else," Apple said in a statement.

"We don't think that’s right — we want to maintain a level playing field where anyone with determination and a great idea can succeed," the company added.

Agence France-Presse

Apple Music expands to 52 new countries in global services push

SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple Music is being expanded to 52 additional countries and territories in a push to broaden service revenue streams for the iPhone maker, the company said Tuesday.

The move, part of the biggest expansion of Apple services in a decade, brings Apple Music to a total of 167 markets, including 25 new African countries added Tuesday. 

Costs will range from as low as $3 to $11 monthly, with a 6-month free trial period in the new countries.

The expansion ramps up the global presence of Apple Music, which has some 60 million subscribers, in its duel against market leader Spotify, which has more than 120 million paid users but is available in fewer markets around the world.

Apple at the same time announced an expansion to 20 new markets of its other services, including its App Store, the Apple Arcade gaming service, Apple Podcasts and iCloud.

With the rollout, Apple services will be available in 175 countries around the world. 

Until now, Apple customers in parts of the world had access to some free apps and services for their devices without an opportunity for paid subscriptions.

Music and other services will be available with interfaces in at least 40 languages supported by Apple.

MORE SERVICES FEWER IPHONES 

The California tech giant has been shifting its focus away from the iPhone -- the longtime revenue and profit leader for the company -- to what is considered a steadier financial stream in digital content and services including music, digital payments and apps.

Amid a softer smartphone market, Apple's iPhone accounts for only around half of its revenues, while new services and accessories are showing gains.

"We're delighted to bring many of Apple's most beloved services to users in more countries than ever before," said Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president for music and international content.

"We hope our customers can discover their new favorite apps, games, music and podcasts as we continue to celebrate the world's best creators, artists and developers."

Apple's iCloud and other services were being expanded to eight additional African countries, two in the Asia-Pacific region, five in Europe, two in the Middle East and three in Oceania.


Apple has been working for some time on the expansion, but the move comes as consumers around the world are facing lockdowns and spending more time on their devices.

Apple Music holds about 19 percent of the global music streaming market, compared with 35 percent for Spotify and 15 percent for Amazon, according to Counterpoint Research.

The streaming music service has some 60 million songs and offers curated playlists along with a Beats 1 radio station.

Apple Podcasts has more than one million shows in over 100 languages. Apple's iCloud service is free but allows users to upgrade for extra storage.

The Arcade gaming service launched last year includes ad-free original titles designed for Apple devices.

Last week, Apple unveiled a new entry-level iPhone, aiming to appeal to consumers facing a suddenly bleak economic backdrop.

The updated iPhone SE will start at $399, or less than half the price of its flagship devices.

While the iPhone had been in the works for months, analysts said the launch appeared to be well-timed amid a pandemic-induced economic slump that has hammered the smartphone market and hit consumer sentiment.

Agence France-Presse

Amazon offers ad-supported free music streaming service

Amazon.com Inc said on Monday it has introduced an ad-supported free version of its music streaming service Amazon Music, taking on rival Spotify Technology which has nearly 140 million users for its free version.

Amazon offers paid plans for its music service starting at $9.99 per month and it is also part of its prime bundle. The company launched a free version of its music service for Alexa users on Echo devices in September.

Spotify, the world's most popular music streaming service, also offers a "freemium" model that includes a free ad-supported version along with a paid ad-free version at $9.99 per month.

However, Apple Inc's Apple Music offers only paid subscription service for $9.99 per month and accounts for nearly a fifth of the paid music streaming market, according to Counterpoint Research.

Amazon shares were up nearly 0.5 percent, while those of rival Spotify fell about 5 percent.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

iPhone to share the spotlight with services at Apple's big event

SAN FRANCISCO -- The iPhone will be front and center at Apple's upcoming media presentation even as the California tech giant steps up its efforts in content and services for its devices.

In its trademark, tight-lipped style, Apple disclosed little about its plans for Tuesday's event at its headquarters in the Silicon Valley city of Cupertino.

For years now, Apple has hosted events in the fall to launch new iPhone models ahead of the holiday shopping season.

Speculation is that Apple will introduce three upgraded iPhones, including "Pro" models, and a successor to its more affordable iPhone XR, as premium handset prices hover around $1,000. 

Some analysts say services, subscriptions and online content will share the stage with the company's glitzy hardware as Apple seeks to shift its focus.

"I think it is going to be the first year the event is going to also be about services," Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said.

"We might get to see what Apple looks like as a company when they are talking about services and hardware as one product."

Milanesi was curious to see whether Tuesday's presentation includes offers iPhone deals that "bundle" music, television or game services with new handsets.

"You have an opportunity to really bring value to the hardware with services," Milanesi said.

TV+ turned on?

Apple recently released a smartphone-generation credit card in the US and is keen to launch its TV+ streaming service before Disney goes live with a rival service in November.

Many wonder whether the launch of Apple TV+ will be among Tuesday's announcements.

With Hollywood stars galore, Apple unveiled streaming video plans along with news and game subscription offerings as part of an effort to shift its focus to digital content and services to break free of its reliance on iPhone sales.

The company also plans to launch a new game subscription service called Apple Arcade internationally by the end of this year.

Apple managed to grow its overall revenues, albeit by a modest one percent, to $53.8 billion, even as iPhone revenues plunged nearly 12 percent in the April-June period.

The company delivered strong growth from digital content and services that include its Apply Pay and Apple Music, along with wearables and accessories like the Apple Watch and Air Pods.

Some of those accessories could also get upgrades on Tuesday.

China wild card 

Analysts warn that Apple still faces challenges as rivals chip away at the smartphone market, in which the iPhone's share is less than 12 percent.

As the iPhone maker refines its handsets, other makers are pushing into new areas such as 5G devices and folding smartphones.

Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors that he expected a "trifecta of iPhone 11s" that will help the company "put a fence around" its user base.

About a third of the 900 million iPhone users around the world are in an upgrade "window," meaning a strong potential for handset sales, according to Ives.

"While China remains a wild card, we are bullish into Apple's future" in the coming year, Ives said.

China accounts for about 17 percent of Apple sales overall, and has tremendous room for growth, according to Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart.

The trade war between the US and China has complicated Apple's effort to gain ground in that market, where gains by local titan Huawei have come partly at the California-based company's expense.

"Apple needs Chinese consumers to treat the iPhone as a preferred premium brand at a tricky geopolitical moment," Greengart said.

"Huawei's premium smartphone, laptop, and tablet sales have been surging inside China partly based on nationalism as a response to the trade war with the US and specific US government actions against Huawei."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Apple Music hits more than 60 million subscribers, trailing Spotify

Apple Inc on Thursday confirmed than the company's streaming music service has more than 60 million subscribers, trailing rival Spotify Technology SA's 100 million premium subscribers.

A company spokesman confirmed the figure that Eddy Cue, senior vice president of services for the iPhone maker, disclosed in remarks made to French publication Numerama in Paris.

Apple executives had not disclosed a new number since May 2018, when the company said it had 50 million Apple Music subscribers.

The 60 million figure includes Apple customers who are on a free trial of Apple Music.

In April, Spotify reported it has 100 million "premium" subscribers. Spotify's definition of premium subscribers also includes those on free trials of its paid service so long as the user has entered a payment method such as a credit card.

When including listeners to its ad-supported service, Spotify has 217 million users. Apple and Spotify are locked in an antitrust dispute after Spotify filed a complaint with European regulators in March.

source: news.abs-cbn.com 

Streaming giant Deezer raises $186 million

PARIS -- Global music streaming platform Deezer said Thursday it had raised 160 million euros ($186 million) in fresh funds from investors, including the Saudi sovereign fund Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), and French telecoms giant Orange.

The cash injection takes Deezer's valuation past the one billion euro mark, it said.

"Big news! We are raising €160 million from new and existing shareholders," the company tweeted.


The funds will be used to finance the acceleration of its development, it said, and strengthen its presence in its key markets such as France and Latin America, CEO Hans-Holger Albrecht said in a statement.

Deezer also said it had signed an exclusive agreement with Rotana, a KHC-owned label with a strong presence in the Near and Middle East with a view to distributing music and video content in the Middle East and North Africa.

Deezer, founded in 2007, says it has 14 million active users and a catalog of 53 million music tracks available in 180 countries.

That makes the site, founded by Frenchman Daniel Marhely, the world's third-biggest music streaming service after leader Spotify of Sweden and Apple Music.

But more competition is underway, including from Google's video platform YouTube which has launched a premium music streaming service, from Amazon via its Prime offering, and even from car maker Tesla which wants to enter the streaming market which experts say is now the engine of the entire music industry.

International music sales rose robustly for the second straight year in 2017 to show growth not seen in two decades thanks to the rapid adoption of streaming, industry body the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry reported in April.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Drake smashes streaming record with new album

NEW YORK - Drake has smashed streaming records with his new album "Scorpion," with Apple Music and Spotify both reporting unprecedented listenership in its first day.

Apple Music said on Instagram that the Canadian hip-hop superstar's fifth studio album was streamed 170 million times in the 24 hours since its release Friday.

The worldwide figure is the highest ever reported by any streaming service for an album over one day and comes even though Apple Music significantly trails industry leader Spotify in total users.

Drake has a lengthy relationship with Apple, which heavily promoted "Scorpion." The hotly anticipated album inexplicably appeared two hours late on Spotify.

But "Scorpion" also set a record on Spotify, which heavily featured the album after it went alive.

The site Spotifycharts, which tracks listening data, said that Spotify users streamed the album's 25 songs more than 132 million times over the first day.

The figures smash the previous record for one-day streaming -- rapper Post Malone's album "Beerbongs and Bentleys," which was streamed just under 79 million times on Spotify on the first day of its release in April.

Streaming records are being frequently broken as growing numbers of listeners embrace Spotify, Apple Music and competitors such as Deezer and Tidal, which allow unlimited on-demand music.

Just days ago, the Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin surpassed Drake as the artist with the most regular monthly listeners on Spotify -- but Drake quickly retook the crown with "Scorpion."

Drake has found massive success releasing sprawling albums and mixtapes of danceable tracks online without consideration to physical formats.

"Scorpion" features a posthumous duet with Michael Jackson, a collaboration with rap great Jay-Z and an admission that Drake secretly had a son with Sophie Brussaux, a French actress in pornographic films.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Apple Music banks on 'Carpool Karaoke' fans paying for star pairings

LOS ANGELES - Will Smith gate-crashing a wedding party or John Legend and Alicia Keys serenading a woman at a launderette are just some of the reasons Apple Inc hopes viewers will pay for Apple Music as it launches new show "Carpool Karaoke: The Series."

Following the June launch of "Planet of the Apps," Apple's second premium video series will debut on Aug. 8, with hopes that a recognizable show and slew of A-list celebrities will help the world's largest technology company stand out in a saturated television market.


"It's about the artist and the songs that are being sung, just to get a little behind-the-scenes of their personalities and some of their thoughts," Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of internet software and services, told Reuters.

"It fits very, very nicely within Apple Music," he added.

Apple's "Carpool Karaoke" is based on the popular segment from CBS' "The Late, Late Show with James Corden," in which Corden joins guests such as Adele in sing-a-longs while driving.

Apple Music, which costs $9.99 a month for an individual membership and has 27 million subscribers, will release two "Carpool" episodes weekly except for the premiere and finale, released as standalone episodes, of the 20-part series.

Apple's deep pockets piqued Hollywood's attention as it entered the original programming race and poached two Sony Pictures Television executives.

Cue said "Planet of the Apps," where app developers pitch to celebrity mentors, had led to new customers signing up for free three-month Apple Music trials, and he hoped "Carpool Karaoke" will continue to draw subscribers.

"With 'Planet of the Apps,' we had to educate people about what it was ... with 'Carpool,' most people know what it is," Cue said.

For those who signed up to Apple Music in June, the "Carpool Karaoke" series may sway them to convert to a paying membership.

The premiere features Corden and actor-singer Smith singing Smith's hits and surprising star-struck guests at a wedding party. Other pairings include comedian Billy Eichner with Metallica, Miley Cyrus with her family and "The Daily Show" host Trevor Noah with singer Shakira.

Corden, who appears in some episodes of Apple's "Carpool Karaoke," said partnering with the technology company was a "no-brainer." The series offered an opportunity to include celebrities that he said had asked to do the segment on "The Late, Late Show."

"We really wanted to try and keep ('Carpool Karaoke') in that rarefied air," Corden said.

"We started thinking if all of these names are desperate to do it, I wonder if there's a world in which we could find a sister show for it that lives somewhere else, not on network television."

Apple is competing in a crowded field against companies including Amazon.com Inc and Netflix Inc shelling out billions of dollars a year to stream dramas and comedies.

The rising costs of producing video content is "concerning," Cue said, but he added that there's an "incredible wealth of talent and opportunity."

"It's easier to create content than it has ever been," he said.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Apple to retire iPod nano and shuffle

Touch became the last iPod standing on Thursday as Apple removed nano and shuffle stand-alone digital music players from its lineup.

Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the devices some 12 years ago with his legendary showmanship flare, and the small, easy to operate players helped the company revolutionize how music was sold.

Apple confirmed to AFP that it is no longer selling nano and shuffle, and the MP3 players vanished from the Apple website.

"Today, we are simplifying our iPod lineup with two models of iPod touch now with double the capacity starting at just $199 and we are discontinuing the iPod shuffle and iPod nano," the company said in an email.

Industry trackers and California-based Apple itself have long acknowledged that the do-it-all iPhone would eat away at sales of one-trick devices such as iPod MP3 players, so the farewell was met more with nostalgia than surprise.

The trend toward streaming music services, including the launch of one by Apple, has made devices designed just for carrying digital tunes around less enticing for consumers.

Shuffle devices about the size of matchbooks and featuring click-wheels for control but no screens debuted in early 2005, with Jobs touting that they let people carry broad libraries of music right in their pockets.

The small gadgets became popular with runners and others involved in physically active endeavors due to the ease with which they could be toted.

The iPod nano also hit the market in 2005, featuring click wheels and screens that improved the ability to select songs. Nano devices evolved with subsequent models, leading to one with a multi-touch screen and the look of an iPhone.

Neither the shuffle nor the nano linked to the internet, instead relying on downloading music from Apple online shop iTunes through computers.

Three years ago Apple discontinued the last version of the original iPod Classic, introduced in October of 2001.

The remaining products in the line are iPod touch models boasting much larger storage capacity and the ability to link wirelessly to internet hotspots for online content such as music streamed from services such as Apple Music.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Apple Music attracts 20 million subscribers

NEW YORK - Apple's streaming service says it has reached 20 million subscribers, showing quick growth as the tech titan tries to close in on sector leader Spotify.

Apple Music launched in June 2015 as Apple, which revolutionized digital music with iTunes 15 years ago, saw the future in streaming -- a service that allows online listeners to play unlimited music on demand.

Senior Apple official Eddy Cue, revealing the figures in an interview with Billboard published late Tuesday, predicted further rapid gains entering 2017.

"There are billions of people listening to music and we haven't even hit 100 million subscribers. There's a lot of growth opportunity," Cue told the music-industry magazine.

He said that more than 60 percent of Apple Music subscribers have not bought from iTunes for the past year -- a sign of streaming's steady rise over pay-per-track downloads.

Apple Music still trails Spotify, which announced in September that it had 40 million paying subscribers.

The Swedish company also has a free, advertising-backed tier -- controversial among some artists -- which brings Spotify's total listeners to 100 million.

Spotify and Apple Music have plenty of smaller competitors including established streaming players Deezer and Rhapsody and rap mogul Jay Z's upstart Tidal.

Online retail giant Amazon in October entered the streaming war, offering a discount rate to subscribers who use the company's speakers.

Apple, like Tidal, has sought to erode Spotify's base by offering exclusives. Apple Music had early windows in which it alone offered the latest albums by leading hip-hop artists Drake, Chance the Rapper and Frank Ocean.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the figures.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Amazon challenges Apple and Spotify with new music streaming service

Amazon.com Inc on Wednesday launched a full-fledged music streaming service with subscriptions as low as $3.99 per month for owners of its Amazon Echo speaker, accelerating the industry trend toward more flexible pricing after years of sticking to $9.99 subscriptions.

The new streaming service, called "Amazon Music Unlimited," lets users access a vast catalog of songs on demand, similar to Spotify and Apple Music. Subscriptions to play music on the Echo cost $3.99 per month; for access beyond that device, subscriptions cost $7.99 a month for members of Amazon's Prime shipping and video service and $9.99 for non-members. Amazon will continue to offer Prime members a limited streaming service for free.

As it plunges deeper into the crowded streaming field, Amazon is counting on the Echo, a smart speaker that responds to voice commands, to set it apart. Released broadly last year, the Echo has become a surprise hit, prompting many to predict that voice will become a key way users interact with technology - and music is central to the device's appeal.

Amazon has built an elaborate system of voice controls for listening on the Echo. The company believes such smart home devices will be a key source of growth for the music industry, said Steve Boom, vice president of Amazon Music.

"The first phase of growth (in music streaming) was driven almost entirely by smartphones," he said in an interview. "We believe pretty strongly that the next phase of growth in streaming is going to come from the home."

Reuters reported details of Amazon's streaming plans in June.

The low price for Amazon's streaming service is consistent with the company's reputation for undercutting the competition and signals the music industry is beginning to accommodate consumers who are unwilling to pay $9.99 per month. Having watched revenues plummet from the CD era, label executives have been reluctant to budge on price, but they have come under pressure as streaming accounts for more of the pie.

Boom said he is optimistic that the new prices will expand the market.

"We're moving music away from a one-size-fits-all approach," Boom said. "We are the ones who have been pushing this the hardest."

Streaming services must pay a majority of their revenues to rights holders, a business model that has left Pandora and Spotify struggling to turn a profit. But Amazon can afford to take a loss on music streaming, and the boost to Prime is well worth it, analysts say.

The premium music service, following the release of a standalone video service, suggests Amazon will increasingly offer basic media options through Prime while selling additional subscriptions for consumers who want to go deeper, said analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research.

"It's just making Prime that much stickier," he said.

Amazon is also hopeful that artificial intelligence will keep users tuned in. Recommendations based on listening habits have become a staple of streaming services, and Amazon has also woven artificial intelligence into the system so users can request songs that fit a particular mood or search with lyrics.

Data from the Echo has taught Amazon much about the language of music, said Kintan Brahmbhatt, director of Amazon Music.

"You can ask for Michael Jackson by saying, 'Play music by the King of Pop,'" he said. "It's smart enough to know that's what you meant."

Despite the low price for Echo-only subscriptions, Amazon and the labels are likely betting that consumers will be motivated to upgrade so they can listen on more devices, said Ted Cohen, managing partner of TAG Strategic.

"At a certain point you'll get frustrated and go, 'Oh, what the heck,'" he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Apple Music wins exclusive video deal with Taylor Swift

NEW YORK - Pop star Taylor Swift's "1989 World Tour Live" concert video will be available exclusively on Apple Inc's music streaming service, Apple Music, starting Dec. 20, Apple said on the service's Twitter account on Sunday.

Swift, who celebrated her 26th birthday on Sunday, tweeted a trailer for the concert video and said: "Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes. I have a little surprise for you." The trailer's description listed Jonas Akerlund as the video's director.

The singer also tweeted that an interview discussing the video would be broadcast at 9 a.m. PST (1700 GMT) on Monday on Beats 1, Apple's radio station. Apple officials were not immediately available for comment.

Apple introduced Apple Music in June. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in October the music streaming service had netted more than 6.5 million paid users, and that an additional 8.5 million people were participating in a free trial.

Swift said in June she would put her hit album "1989" on Apple Music, days after the tech giant bowed to pressure from Swift and some independent music groups and labels and agreed to pay artists during a free trial of its music service.

Swift's decision came after she pulled her entire catalog of music from online streaming platform Spotify in November 2014 and refused to offer "1989" on streaming services, saying the business had shrunk the numbers of paid album sales drastically.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Adele decides no streaming for new album '25'

LOS ANGELES - British singer Adele's much-anticipated album "25" will not be available for streaming on any digital music services, including Spotify, Apple Music and Deezer, the companies said on Thursday.

Apple Inc confirmed "25," released on Friday, will not be available to stream on Apple Music. It did say in a statement that Adele's latest single "Hello" will continue being available for streaming, and that it was "thrilled to offer" the album to buy on its online store iTunes.

Spotify also confirmed that its followers would not have access to the new album.

"We love and respect Adele, as do her 24 million fans on Spotify. We hope that she will give those fans the opportunity to enjoy '25' on Spotify alongside '19' and '21' very soon," the company said in a statement.

Tyler Goldman, chief executive, North America, of music streaming company Deezer told Reuters that the service would not offer "25" at launch.

Adele's representatives declined to comment on the decision.

A music industry source said Adele's XL Recording label had decided to withhold "25," expected to be the biggest album release of 2015, from streaming platforms when it is released. The New York Times first reported the move.

"She's benefiting from paid subscriptions, but she's using this as an opportunity to try and sell more CD's or downloads," Deezer's Goldman said. "If all artists did this, we wouldn't have the growth in subscriptions we have."

Other streaming services, including Pandora and Google Play, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Adele's "25" is the first by the singer since "21" in 2011, which sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

"25" had been expected to sell more than 1 million units in North America in its first week, according to estimates by Billboard magazine.

The move by Adele and her management mirrors Taylor Swift, one of the most powerful names in pop music, who refused to offer her "1989" album to streaming services last year, saying music should not be free. She did put the album on Apple Music in July, after it agreed to pay artists during a free trial.

"1989" became the biggest-selling album in the world in 2014 with estimated sales of more than 8.5 million copies.

Swift's decision to withhold "1989" did not have a material financial impact for streaming services and neither will Adele's, said Goldman. "One individual artist is not going to change the inevitability of streaming," he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Apple Music boasts 6.5 mil subscribers

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said Monday the technology giant's new music service has some 6.5 million subscribers.

"It is going really well," Cook during an on-stage chat on the opening evening of a Wall Street Journal technology forum on the Southern California coast.

"Lots of people are liking it."

People have begun ending free trials of the music service, which launched at the end of June in more than 100 countries.

More than eight million people are still in the free trial of Apple Music, pushing the total number of users above 15 million, according to Cook.

He credited a human curation element -- actual people who fashion playlists -- for creating listening experiences superior to that delivered by "zeroes and ones" of computer algorithms.

"We have music experts just like the DJs when we were growing up," Cook said, setting the service apart from entrenched rivals such as Spotify and Pandora which use software to tailor tunes to people's tastes.

Apple Music, the tech giant's new streaming service, went live at the end of June as the company behind iTunes looks to dominate the fast-growing sector.

Apple Service began with the launch of Beats 1, an international radio station that will feature shows by high-profile artists, and offered streaming -- for the first time -- of Taylor Swift's blockbuster "1989" album.

To edge its way into the streaming music market, Apple has offered a three-month trial period to new subscribers, after which subscriptions cost $9.99 per month.

- Apple TV turned on -

On another entertainment front, Apple will begin taking orders for new Apple TV hardware beginning on October 26 and shipments will start by the end of that week, according to Cook.

"I think it will be disruptive of the TV watching experience," Cook said.

"This is the foundation of the future of TV."

The new Apple TV unveiled last month has the potential to do for television what iPhone did to mobile phones, while claiming a starring role in home entertainment.

Updated Apple TV hardware was not expected to revolutionize the television industry, but it could strike a blow to cable companies that have been in a power seat when it comes to delivering shows and other content.

The new Apple TV will have a version of the App Store that has been a hit on iPhones.

Siri virtual assistant software built in Apple TV allowed for natural language searches for shows, such as asking for something funny or a certain actor by name.

People should also be able to see what they want on-demand instead of being at the mercy of cable broadcast schedules.

These options can spur a trend of "cord cutting" or ending the subscription "bundles" offered by cable and satellite TV firms.

By letting media companies keep control of their content in apps, Apple could find new money-making models while sidestepping worries studios might have about distribution rights.

"What has to happen in the TV land is it has to be brought up and modernized," Cook said.

"It is almost as though you step into a time capsule when you step into your living room."

The new Apple TV will launch with a starting price of $149.

Apple TV has lagged behind rivals such as Roku and Google Chromecast.

Cook declined to provide figures regarding Apple Watch sales, but said the California company shipped "a lot" in the first quarter they were released and that number has ramped each subsequent quarter.

He dodged questions regarding what kind of plans, if any, Apple had for making a car.

Rumors have abounded in recent months of Apple working on a self-driving car, in its own spin on work being done by Google and Tesla.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Google launches free streaming service ahead of Apple Music debut

SAN FRANCISCO - Google Inc. launched a free version of its music streaming service on Tuesday, as it sought to upstage the debut of Apple Inc.'s rival service next week.

Google Play Music has offered a $9.99 per month subscription service for two years but Tuesday's launch is the first free version of the streaming service. It is available online and will be available on Android and iOS by the end of the week, Elias Roman, Google product manager, said.

Apple said earlier this month it would launch a music streaming service on June 30 for $9.99 per month along with a $14.99 per month family plan, with a free three-month trial.

As with other streaming services, such as Spotify and Rhapsody, Google Play Music curates playlists. Users can tailor playlists based on genre, artist or even activity, such as hosting a pool party or "having fun at work."

"We believe this is a play that will expose a lot of people to the service," Roman said in an interview.

Unlike Google's subscription music service, the free service will carry ads, be unavailable offline and exclude certain songs.

Roman said millions of people look at Google Play Music each month but are not ready to pay for a subscription. By offering a free version of the service, he said, the search engine hopes more people will be compelled to pay for an upgraded version.

Ted Cohen, managing partner of TAG Strategic, a digital entertainment consultancy, said the timing of Google's launch was strategic.

"It's a smart time to do it with all the attention around Apple," Cohen said. "If they did it absent the Apple service, it wouldn't be the same story."

Google declined to say how many subscribers it has but said they more than doubled in 2014 from the previous year. But rivals Pandora, Spotify and Beats Music had far more mobile downloads than Google Play Music in 2014, according to data from analytics firm App Annie.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com