It looks like Apple could be in the process of building a music streaming service specifically for use by bars, restaurants or retail establishments.
The Cupertino-based tech giant filed a trademark application for ‘Apple Music for Business’ with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on November 29.
Interestingly, according to the filing, Apple made a foreign trademark application for the name in Jamaica at the beginning of June 2018 under two international classes, 38 (which covers telecommunication services) and 41 (which covers education, training, and sports and entertainment services).
The information provided in the trademark filing for class 38 section says that ‘Apple Music for Business’ will be used for “broadcast and transmission of streamed music, audio, video, and multimedia content by means of radio, television, internet, and satellite for business use.”
Thee information provided for class 41 states that it’s for: “Production of programmed music and video displays for subscribers; audio and video recording and production services for others; music service, namely providing specially programmed background music for retail establishments, public areas, and commercial establishments.
“Providing radio, internet, and satellite music programming by means of telecommunications networks, computer networks, the Internet, satellite, radio, and wireless communications networks; musical, radio, television and video entertainment services, namely, custom arrangement and editing of music, audio and video programs; Custom music programming services.”
Back in October, a study carried out by Nielsen Music, commissioned by Soundtrack Your Brand (which is backed by Spotify) found that rights-holders around the world may be losing out on at least $2.65 billion each year because small businesses are playing background music through personal streaming accounts.
At the time, Soundtrack Your Brand Co-founder and Chairman Andreas Liffgarden said that “we need a new generation of B2B streaming services, attractive to business owners, that make sure music makers get fair compensation”.
Assuming Apple is actually going to launch a new service geared towards business owners, with all of the performance licensing taken care of with the respective PROs, then Apple Music for Business could be a very attractive proposition for business owners.Music Business Worldwide
