Apple Buys Primephonic Classical Music Streaming Service

Apple has purchased 3-year-old classical music streaming service Primephonic, according to a Monday (Aug. 30) press release on the company’s website.

Apple Music subscribers will now have access to Primephonic playlists and exclusive audio content as part of the acquisition. In the near future, classical music fans will have access to improved browsing and be able to search by composer and by repertoire. In addition, classical music fans will also have access to detailed displays of classical music metadata, as well as new additions and benefits, according to Apple.

“We love and have a deep respect for classical music, and Primephonic has become a fan favorite for classical enthusiasts,” Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats, said in the release. “Together, we’re bringing great new classical features to Apple Music, and in the near future, we’ll deliver a dedicated classical experience that will truly be the best in the world.”

With the move to Apple, Primephonic is no longer available for new subscribers. The streaming service will be removed on Sept. 7. Apple Music intends to launch a dedicated classical music app in 2022, which will merge Primephonic’s classical user interface with more added features. Current Primephonic subscribers will receive six months of Apple Music free of charge. Apple Music features more than 75 million songs — including more than 500,000 classical music albums — available for streaming.

In related tech news, Google could pay Apple nearly $15 billion to maintain its dominant search position on Apple products.

Related: Report: Google Could Pay Apple $15B To Power Search on Safari

As PYMNTS reported last year, the Department of Justice alleged in an antitrust suit that a 15-year deal between Google and Apple violated antitrust laws. According to PYMNTS, Google has paid Apple between $8 billion and $12 billion per year to hold the default search status on iPhones and other Apple devices. The Department of Justice made a case for how Google purportedly uses its profits to beat out the competition and to demonstrate the value of search.

See also: Multi-Billion Dollar Deal Between Apple, Google Threatened By Antitrust Lawsuit