Verizon subscribers with an iPhone or Android smartphone and a Beyond Unlimited or Above Unlimited data plan will soon have unlimited access to Apple Music at no additional cost, according to documentation obtained by 9to5Mac.
The report claims the free Apple Music subscription is not simply a trial but rather will be offered on an ongoing basis. Verizon's lower-priced Go Unlimited plan with reduced data speeds will continue to offer a six-month Apple Music trial, as the Beyond Unlimited and Above Unlimited plans currently do.
The perk will be available to both new and existing subscribers starting this Thursday, January 17, the report adds. Verizon's documentation suggests there is no catch, with the monthly prices of Beyond Unlimited and Above Unlimited plans expected to remain unchanged, but we'll know for sure in a few days.
The perk will compete with T-Mobile's offer of free Netflix to subscribers who have two or more unlimited data lines with the carrier.
An individual Apple Music subscription typically costs $9.99 per month.
Update: Verizon has confirmed that Apple Music will be included as a perk for its Beyond Unlimited and Above Unlimited plans starting on January 17.
Top Rated Comments
This appears to be an unlimited plan (with data throttling) which includes an Apple Music subscription. This is simply an option to purchase bundled services. If a user happens to also subscribe to Spotify, they should expect to have the same streaming experience from both music services regarding data usage.
Now, if Verizon began exempting Apple Music from data throttling, that should trigger Net Neutrality concerns because the Apple Music data would be treated preferentially. I know this is a small distinction, but it is still important. There were similar concerns in the past when T-Mobile began letting customers stream Netflix without counting toward their monthly data cap. If interested, you can read about that here ('https://www.theverge.com/2016/1/19/10794288/netflix-t-mobile-binge-on-net-neutrality-zero-rating'). :)