Beats

Find out if Apple Music, Apple Music Radio, Beats 1 and iTunes Match are available in your country

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 2, 2015

Apple's new music package, available across 115 countries around the world, packs in Apple Music Radio, Beats 1 Radio, iTunes Match and Apple Music on-demand streaming. But not all of these services are available in each and every country.

For example, people in Romania can only enjoy iTunes Match. Beats 1 Radio is currently off-limits in nearly two dozen countries. In addition, eight countries currently lack access to Apple Music, Apple Music Radio and Beats 1 Radio.

This article helps you find out in which countries you can join Apple Music, listen to Apple Music Radio (formerly iTunes Radio) and Beats 1 Radio or subscribe to iTunes Match.

Beats 1, Apple’s new global Internet radio, starts broadcasting with DJ Zane Lowe

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

Beats 1, Apple's 24/7 radio station, has just started broadcasting live in over a hundred countries around the world following the release of iOS 8.4 with a much improved and revamped Music app with Beats 1 and Apple Music integration.

Available on the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad with iOS 8.4 (and soon on Mac and Windows PCs with an impending iTunes update), Beats 1 is hosted by former BBC Radio DJ Zane Lowe in Los Angeles, with additional actors Ebro Darden in New York and Julie Adenoma in London.

Beats 1, Apple’s 24/7 Internet radio, makes an appearance in iOS betas ahead of June 30 rollout

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 18, 2015

Beats 1, Apple's non-stop Internet radio station hosted by celebrity DJs, has made its first appearance in latest betas of iOS 8.4 and iOS 9 which are available to developers.

The Beats 1 interface appears unfinished with many features not active yet or performing erratically. Still, I was able to use the Music app on my iPad running iOS 9 Developer Preview to access a new Radio tab and get to Beats 1. I also browsed a list of stations and even streamed select ones and heard the promotional Beats 1 broadcast.

Here are my screenshots.

Apple pulls Monster’s MFi license following Beats lawsuit

Cody Lee ∙ June 16, 2015

Apple has revoked Monster's MFi license in wake of its Beats lawsuit, reports The Wall Street Journal. Monster, the A/V company who manufactured headphones for Beats in its early days, filed a lawsuit against the company in January for duping it out of potential proceeds from the Apple acquisition.

Monster’s general counsel David Tognotti said Apple's move to pull its MFi license is in retribution for the suit, and that it can significantly disrupt their business—which still involves building premium headphones. “It shows a side of Apple that consumers don’t see very often,” he said. “Apple can be a bully.”

Apple recalls overheating Beats Pill XL speakers that pose fire safety risk

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

In a rare display of a voluntary product recall, Apple has pulled the Beats Pill XL wireless speakers citing a possible fire safety risk caused by overheating.

According to a media release Apple PR put out Wednesday, the voluntary recall of all Beats Pill XL speakers, “including a refund for customers,” does not affect any other Beats or Apple products.

“Apple has determined that, in rare cases, the battery in the Beats Pill XL may overheat and pose a fire safety risk,” notes the press release.

WSJ: Apple’s $10 per month on-demand music streaming service launching at WWDC next week

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2018

Contradicting a February 2015 report which asserted that Beats Music would get folded into a new on-demand streaming music subscription service, The Wall Street Journal said Monday that Beats Music will be maintained as a standalone service once Apple launches its new music $10 per month offering at WWDC next week.

Apple, the world’s leading music retailer, is apparently “prepared to cannibalize its download business in favor of streaming.” As part of an all-in bet, Apple may prompt people “who download a $10 album to instead subscribe to the streaming service for $10 a month.”

The new “set of music services” will cost $10 per month, like Spotify, and is said to include “augmented Internet radio” with DJs.

Apple awarded patent for Beats Mixr over-ear headphone design

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 12, 2015

Tuesday, the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) awarded Apple a new patent grant which covers the overall design of the Beats Mixr over-ear headphone.

As you know, the Cupertino company acquired Beats, the audio hardware maker and the streaming-music provider, back in 2014 in a transaction valued at $3 billion.

Officially titled “Audio listening system”, the patent covers the ornamental design for an audio listening system. As shown and described, it specifically details a design feature allowing users to rotate each driver up and behind their ear, a prominent feature valued mostly by DJs.

Warner Music Group: Streaming music revenue now outweighs downloads

Jake Smith ∙ Updated January 28, 2016

Tucked away in its earnings release on Monday, major music-player Warner Music Group announced that revenue from streaming surpassed revenue from downloads for the first time. This signals a major turn in the industry, as an old school player is finally revealing it may be comfortable, and on board, with the shift in how customers consume music.

FTC also probing Apple’s upcoming music service over deals with record labels

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 17, 2017

Increasingly, Apple is finding itself in hot water with regulators over its rumored subscription-based music service. Citing people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported that the United States Federal Trade Commission is now probing Apple's efforts to line up deals with record labels.

The agency is reportedly taking a closer look at the possible misuse of the iPhone maker's dominant market position as the largest seller of music downloads to put rival music services such as Spotify, Rdio, Pandora, YouTube and others at a disadvantage.

Apple reportedly makes push to kill free music streaming tiers

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 4, 2015

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) is reportedly taking a closer look into Apple’s business practices ahead of the rumored Beats Music relaunch, with DOJ officials having already interviewed high-ranking music industry executives about Apple’s business habits, The Verge reported Monday.

Citing multiple sources, the publication claims that Apple's “aggressive tactics” have garnered scrutiny from DOJ, which has apparently taken issue with Apple's push to kill free Spotify streaming ahead of Beats relaunch. If true, the cunning move has the potential to reduce competition for Apple's music service as popular service like YouTube, Pandora, Rdio and others are also the target.

Beats launches new iPhone colorways for its Solo2 wireless headphones

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Apple's Beats Electronics announced new colorways for its popular Solo2 wireless headphone line on Friday. The 3 new colors are Gold, Silver, and Space Gray— the same offered on iPhones, iPads and the just-launched ultra slim MacBook.

While Solo2s already came in a variety of colors, these new options will allow customers to buy headphones to match their favorite Apple devices. Other than that, however, these new headphones are identical to other Solo2 wireless models.

Jay Z suggests Apple’s Jimmy Iovine tried to lure artists from Tidal

Jake Smith ∙ March 31, 2015

Following the re-launch of Tidal on Monday, now music streaming boss Shawn "Jay Z" Carter suggested in an interview with Billboard that Apple's Jimmy Iovine had been trying to lure artists from the new service.