Russia can become one of the countries in which Apple will launch a music streaming service. This became known to the edition of “Vedomosti”, referring to sources in several international and Russian sound recording companies. Apple intends to announce the international launch of its new project in June: if this happens, you will earn service in June-July this year. Russia is included in the plans for the launch of the first wave, says an employee of a major Western company. A source in another international company knows that the first Apple will launch in Russia its iTunes Radio service – this can occur in late may – early June.
No exact date, however, Apple representatives have not reported. But some Russian music labels are received from a California company requesting them to extend the digital rights to a musical work and to the normal music downloads add streaming, said an employee of one such company.
The first and most famous music streaming service – Spotify, launched by Swede Daniel ECOM in 2008. Spotify had to earn in Russia in I quarter of this year, the company even hired a Director of the local office. However, due to imposed on Russia sanctions Spotify refused to launch.
Apple is the world’s largest member of the legal digital music market, but the company still sells music tracks and albums only through the iTunes store, its own streaming service she has no. But worldwide sales of individual tracks and albums fall: according to the International Federation of the Phonographic industry (IFPI), in 2014 they decreased by 8%. While revenue streaming services, by contrast, grew by 39% compared with 2013. In the first quarter of this year, streaming services for the first time in history surpassed by revenue traditional download.
Last year Apple acquired for $3 billion for Beats, which has its own Beats Music streaming service. In February of this year, there were rumors that Apple’s about to launch on the basis of the Beats Music service. Moreover, it will integrate elements of social network that allows artists to communicate directly with users.
Apple considers the Russian market content as promising. Especially since there wasn’t able to run its biggest competitor in the segment of streaming Spotify. However, work in Russia and other streaming services – Yandex.Music” (in the web version you can listen for free per view advertising, in a mobile – subscription), Zvooq, Google Play Music, Deezer, etc.
Experts believe that it is unlikely that the launch of Apple something radically change in Russia from the point of view of the development of paid streaming. However, it can spur sales of legal music via iTunes.
