Apple Still Negotiating With Music Labels Over Streaming Terms Days Before WWDC Launch
Days before Apple is expected to announce its rebranded and revamped version of Beats Music at WWDC, the Cupertino company is still negotiating terms with music labels, reports Bloomberg. Last month, it was also reported that the two sides had not reached a deal.

The labels are pushing to get a larger chunk of revenue than they receive under their current deals with Spotify Ltd., a competing streaming service, people familiar with the negotiations said. Both sides want to complete a deal before Apple’s June 8 annual event in San Francisco for more than 5,000 developers, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are continuing.
Currently, labels receive 55% of Spotify's $9.99 monthly rate while publishers take 15%. Music labels are hoping to take closer to 60% from Apple, according to the report. Previously, rumors have suggested that Apple was seeking an agreement that allow it to offer a streaming music service to customers for $7.99 a month rather than the standard $9.99 rate. However, Apple was forced to back down after record labels resisted the change.
Additionally, Apple has allegedly been urging music labels to cease offering licenses for freemium tiers that Spotify and other music services offer as the Cupertino company does not plan to offer a free tier with its new streaming service. These efforts have earned Apple scrutiny from government organizations like the European Commission and U.S. Department of Justice, as the two groups are said to be looking into Apple's negotiations.
It's likely Apple still plans to unveil its new streaming service at WWDC, as the two sides want to complete a deal before June 8's keynote address. The new Music app is said to include the rebranded streaming service, a revamped version of iTunes Radio and traditional downloaded music. Apple also plans to offer exclusive content, like behind-the-scenes video from recording sessions. Artists will also get their own pages where they can host videos, songs and other content for free as part of a program called Apple Connect, with Apple compensating the artists and labels for songs they give away.
Popular Stories
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect.
There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect.
The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design.
It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information.
Relocated Charging Port
While the Magic Mouse switched from...
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent.
A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things.
Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
In the mid-to-late 2000s, Facebook was all about staying connected with friends and family. However, as the social media platform added new features and grew over time, that core experience began to get drowned out.
That changes starting now, according to Meta, which today introduced a new feature that will "bring back the joy" of classic Facebook.
Specifically, Meta has redesigned the...
Apple's upcoming "iPhone Fold" will feature a foldable screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, according to a Chinese leaker who previously leaked the book-style device's display dimensions.
The Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station claims that Apple will adopt a "roughly" 4:3 aspect ratio on the inner display in order to achieve consistency between the outer display, as well as to ensure parity...