It seems like Tim Cook & the team are on a mission to correct their pricing structure in India. Just a few days after an unprecedented drop in iPhone XR prices, Apple has announced a reduction in Apple Music India subscription rates as well.
Apple Music now comes at a monthly subscription price of ₹99 (down from ₹120) for individual plans, and the family subscription charges have been reduced from ₹190 per month to ₹149.
As per reports, India has emerged as the ‘sleeping giant’ of the music streaming industry. After all, India hs the world’s second-largest smartphone market with the cheapest data rate. And with the recent launch of Spotify and YouTube Music, the price drop of Apple Music India seems like a smart move.
Competing with the international brands that are expanding their presence in India isn’t easy for domestic players either. As a marketing strategy, local players like Gaana and JioSaavan dropped their annual charges to just Rs 299. However, their monthly subscription remains untouched at Rs. 99.
The story is similar for international players. Amazon Music can be individually subscribed with Amazon Prime for Rs 129 a month or Rs 999 a year. YouTube Music, which cost Rs. 99 per month for an individual subscription is in line with other local players. With Apple Music lowering its price, it is Spotify that gets the tag of the most expensive music streaming service in India. It costs Rs. 59 per month for students, and Rs. 119 per month or Rs. 1,189 per year for individuals.
Here’s a quick recap of the new Apple Music India prices:
- Rs. 49 a month for students, which was Rs. 60 earlier.
- Rs. 99 per month or Rs. 999 per year for individuals, which was Rs. 120 per month or Rs. 1,200 per year.
- And Rs. 149 per month for families, which was Rs. 190 per month.
No doubt all international players, be it Amazon, Apple or Google, have priced their service in India according to people’s purchasing power. However, the bigger challenge is that paid subscriptions form a negligible part of the Indian music market – It’s just 1 percent!
