Apple is matching its wave of software updates with a not-so-pleasant price hike. As 9to5Macreports, the company has raised the prices of Apple Music and Apple TV+. Music now costs $11 per month for individual plans (up from $10) in the US, or $109 per year. The Family plan now costs $17 per month instead of $15. TV+ sees the largest relative jump — the price has increased from $5 per month to $7, and from $50 per year to $69.
Accordingly, Apple has hiked prices for its multi-service One bundles. You now pay $17 per month for an Individual plan versus the earlier $15. Family users now pay $23 per month instead of $20, and Premier customers pay $33 per month where they previously paid $30.
A company spokesperson attributes the increases to licensing costs in a statement to 9to5. The more expensive plans will let artists and writers “earn more” from streaming music, Apple claims. The TV+ increase also reflects the size of the service, the representative adds. The video offering had “just a few shows and movies” when it launched three years ago, and now has a much larger catalog.
This won’t thrill you if you’re cross-shopping services. Spotify still asks $10 per month for its regular plan, and $16 for a six-user family account. You won’t get lossless or spatial audio, but it’s a better bargain if you’re more interested in the lowest possible price. Things are murkier with video services. The higher pricing still makes Apple TV+ more affordable than Amazon Prime Video and ad-free Netflix (particularly if you want 4K HDR), and more specialized services like Disney+ and Hulu will charge extra in December. It’s just a question of whether or not shows like Ted Lasso and Slow Horses are worth the outlay.
The larger One prices may be easier to swallow. It’s difficult to find all-in-one bundles that combine music, video, cloud storage and other services, particularly if you want something Apple-friendly. And like it or not, you probably won’t find alternatives that include fitness apps or magazine subscriptions.