Launched on June 30, 2015, Apple Music shifted the company from digital sales to streaming. To jumpstart the service, Apple spent roughly $3 billion to acquire Beats, bringing in Jimmy Iovine and Dr Dre. This move allowed the company to compete with rivals by offering human-curated playlists and a dedicated 24-hour radio station.

Unlike Spotify, Apple has historically refused to offer an ad-supported free version, arguing that music is art and should not be given away. However, recent Android beta strings mentioning "Premium access required" and skip limits suggest Apple is finally reconsidering this stance. Such a move would directly challenge Spotify's dominant free-tier model.

While the core service remains stable, the journey included the failure of Apple Music Connect, a social platform abandoned in 2019. Apple later expanded into a specialized niche by acquiring Primephonic to launch Apple Music Classical in 2021. Despite these additions, the service remains a paid-only experience for most users.

Apple currently offers higher-quality lossless audio as standard and pays musicians more per stream than its competitors. This positioning targets audiophiles and artists who feel undervalued by other platforms. The potential shift toward a free tier marks a significant departure from the company's long-term philosophy.