Apple Music launches $4.99 Siri based Voice Plan

Apple Music has launched it promised $4.99 Voice Plan as part of iOS 15.2 and iPadOS 15.2 updates. The half price tier lets users access Apple Music only via the Siri voice assistant.

The new Apple Music Voice Plan will include voice access to all playlists, personalized mixes, genre stations, and Apple Music Radio for $4.99 per month – half the usual Apple Music $9.99 per month tier.

In October, Apple announced that it would add the lower priced plan later this year.

This new plan appears designed to compete with Amazon Music Unlimited $3.99 plan which unlike the Apple Music Voice Plan is tied to just a single device.

Another target is Spotify and its free streaming offering which is growing in popularity as more new users try Spotify via podcast listening as well as TIDAL’s new free tier.

Some in the music industry have questioned if the addition of lower priced and free music offerings will lead to less revenue for artists and creators.

Bruce Houghton is Founder and Editor of Hypebot and MusicThinkTank and serves as a Senior Advisor to Bandsintown which acquired both publications in 2019. He is the Founder and President of the Skyline Artists Agency and a professor for the Berklee College Of Music.