10 things you should know about Apple Music

San Francisco: At the Worldwide Developers’ Conference, Apple unveiled a subscription streaming music service that could be a powerful rival to online services such as Spotify and Pandora. Here are five things that you must know about Apple’s new music streaming service:

• Apple Music will be available to users of iPhones, iPads, iPod touch, Mac, and PC starting June 30. It will be coming to Apple TV and Android phones this September.
• The service will be launched in more than 100 countries by the end of this month, along with a software update.
• The music streaming service includes a radio station with personalized playlists and a choice from millions of songs on demand. Chief executive Tim Cook said the new Apple Music service would be "the next chapter in music" and "will change the way you experience music forever."

• The service includes a live radio station called Beats 1, tools to find curated playlists or individual songs and a social music network on which users can comment on music and share it.
  "We love music, and the new Apple Music service puts an incredible experience at every fan's fingertips," said Eddy Cue, Apple senior vice president of Internet software and services. "All the ways people love enjoying music come together in one app -- a revolutionary streaming service, live worldwide radio and an exciting way for fans to connect with artists."

• Eddy Cue also confirmed that, for the first three months, the service will be available for free, as trial membership.
• Apple Music also caters for artists through the feature called ‘Connect’. Through Connect, artists can share lyrics, backstage photos, videos or even release their latest song directly to fans directly from their iPhone. Fans can comment on or like anything an artist has posted, and share it via Messages, Facebook, Twitter and email. And when you comment, the artist can respond directly to you.

• Siri will be integrated into the new music service, so subscribers can ask it to play songs from movie soundtracks, find hit songs from a certain year, or create playlists from top songs in different genres.
• The service will be available for USD 9.99 per month, with a family plan for up to six people at USD 14.99.
  "Apple Music is really going to move the needle for fans and artists," said Apple's Jimmy Iovine. "Online music has become a complicated mess of apps, services and websites. Apple Music brings the best features together for an experience every music lover will appreciate."
• Besides offering the new subscription plan, the app also will continue to allow download purchases from iTunes
• After being launched for the iOS users, Apple Music will soon be introduced for Android users as well.