It was announced on February 4th 2015, that Apple is in the process of integrating Beats Music into iTunes as it works to create a new subscription music service to rival Spotify. Apple will not just create a Beats app for iPhones, iPads, or Macs, but it will deeply integrate Beat into its mobile iOS, iTunes Media Store, and even, Apple TV.
Beats Music users will be able to merge their existing accounts with Apple/iTunes IDs. The mobile app's design will move away from the Beats' traditional red and black and will have a user interface that has the look and feel of iTunes. There will also be new social features added for sharing music and playlists. A search feature will allow users to search for any song in either the iTunes or Beats catalogs. It will also be cloud based.
Apple had hoped that it would be able to release the new service by March 2015, but it has been in negotiations with the major labels in an effort to offer the new service at a lower price than Spotify. Right now, Spotify's service is being offered for $9.99 a month. Apple had been trying to get a deal that would allow them to offer their service for $5.00 a month. However, Apple was reportedly able to reach an agreement that will allow them to offer its new service for $7.99 a month.
Apple's new streaming service will be available for android as well as iOS. This will be the first time that the company has created an app for android as an in house project. However, no Windows phone app will be available. Because of delays in the negotiation process, Apple may be forced to wait until its annual WWDC (World Wide Developers Conference) in June, to announce the release of its new streaming service.
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