Jun 24, 2015
Google has launched a free version of its music streaming service Play Music, less than a week before Apple launches its own streaming app, Apple Music.
Google Play Music already has a subscription-based service, where users pay monthly to listen to an unlimited amount of tracks.
Today the technology giant announced a free version, made up of curated playlists designed for different times of the day and tailored towards what you are doing.
The new free service will include adverts, similar to the model on rival Spotify.
Apple’s much-publicised new Music service launches next Tuesday, and will be free for the first three months. In the US, Google has already beaten Apple to the market with this announcement.
In a blog post, Google product manager Elias Roman said: "Even if you’re not already a Google Play Music subscriber, we’ve got you covered.
"Google Play Music now has a free, ad-supported version in the US, giving you a new way to find just the right music - and giving artists another way to earn revenue.
"The new free, ad-supported version of Google Play Music is launching first in the US. It’s available on the web today, and is rolling out this week to Android and iOS."
Google said it hopes the new free version will encourage people to sign up for the subscription-based tier of the service.
Earlier this week, Taylor Swift penned an open letter to Apple over their plans to not pay artists during the 90-day Apple Music trial, a move that led the company to confirm it was reversing the stance and would pay royalties for streams during that time.
Source: Belfast Telegraph