Apple Music is coming to China – and it’s cheap

Apple Music in China features local artists such as Eason Chan, Li Ronghao, and JJ Lin, along with global performers including Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran.

Apple has launched Apple Music, iTunes Movies and iBooks to China.

On the same pricing tier, Tidal is also offering 50 percent off each extra person you add- a family of five would pay $30 per month for the household, which is double the cost for the same family on Google Play Music or Apple Music.

Google may be playing catch up to other music streaming services but with a competitive price point and many streaming options, they are primed to be a valid choice.

“In the short term for Apple Music in China, it’ll be an uphill struggle”, says Alex Taggart of Outdustry Group, a music consultancy that helps foreign record labels do business in China. Apple will also offer its Family Plan for 15 RMB per month.

Apple has enjoyed tremendous growth in China, now its second biggest market, since launching its iPhone 6 range previous year.

He said Apple’s service is unique for its cloud music library and ability to sync and save a user’s spot in a book or song when switching between devices. Select Apple Music Membership, and you’ll see an On/Off option for Automatic Renewal.

In a previous article posted in The Wall Street Journal, Counterpoint, a research firm, stated that Apple’s $9.99 per month subscription plan may catch customers from the West but not from the Asian countries. As a token of appreciation, the recent Chinese hit, “The Taking of Tiger Mountain“, will be offered for free to all customers in China for a limited time. Our world class music experts have programmed an abundance of playlists for any genre or activity, in addition to creating hand-crafted radio stations powered by Apple Music‘s extensive music catalog.

We have a guide on how to turn off the auto-renewal feature, but essentially you have to dig a bit deep into your profile settings in Apple Music.

Movie rentals are priced at 5 CNY, or just $0.79, while 18 CNY ($2.83) will buy a movie.