Apple Music is launching a new subscription tier called the Apple Music Voice Plan for $4.99 per month.
Announced today at Apple‘s “Unleashed” event, the new plan, which Apple says is “designed around the power of Siri” offers access to the service’s full catalog of 90 million songs, tens of thousands of playlists, personalized mixes, genre stations; as well as Apple Music Radio.
The Apple Music Voice Plan will be available later this fall in 17 countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Users can subscribe to the Apple Music Voice Plan through Siri by saying “Hey Siri, start my Apple Music Voice trial,” or by signing up through the Apple Music app.
A one-time, seven-day free preview with no auto-renewal is offered to non-subscribers who request music through Siri.
Once subscribed to the Apple Music Voice Plan, users can request music be played across all of their Siri-enabled devices, including HomePod mini, AirPods, iPhone, or any other Apple device, and when using CarPlay.
Voice Plan subscribers also have full playback controls including unlimited song-skipping through Siri.
Apple Music’s premium offerings, including Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio, Lyrics, Music Video are not included in this plan.
To get access to those features, subscribers will need to switch to Apple Music’s individual plan for $9.99 per month or a family plan with up to six accounts for $14.99 per month.
Apple Music says that it is also adding hundreds of new mood and activity playlists “that are fully optimized just for voice”.
Apple Music Voice Plan subscribers will also get a customized in-app experience with suggestions based on the listener’s music preferences and a queue of recently played music through Siri.
Within the app there will also be a dedicated section called “Just Ask Siri” where Apple says that subscribers can learn tips to optimize Siri for Apple Music.
“Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together.”
Oliver Schusser, Apple
“Apple Music and Siri are natural partners and already work seamlessly together,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats.
“With Siri actively used on hundreds of millions of devices worldwide, we are thrilled to add this new plan that delivers an effortless music experience just by using your voice and makes Apple Music accessible to even more people around the world.”
Music Business Worldwide