Following Apple's official acquisition of Beats Electronics and Beats Music, the Beats Music iOS app has been added to Apple's App Store listing of "Apps Made by Apple," giving the app high-profile placement to encourage downloads.
This section of the iTunes Store, which also houses Apple-designed apps like Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iPhoto, and more, can be found in the Quick Links section of the iOS App Store and the desktop iTunes Store.
The addition of Beats Music to the Apps Made by Apple list follows its inclusion in the list of apps recommended to new iOS users, another move that will undoubtedly result in a high number of Beats Music app downloads. According to Appshopper, Beats Music's popularity has soared in recent weeks. It is currently ranked fourth in music and number 23 in overall free apps.
As of May, Beats Music had garnered 250,000 subscribers, a number that has likely grown significantly with the app's prominent placement in the App Store and Apple's high-profile acquisition of the company. In contrast, Apple's iTunes Store has sold 35 billion songs and its existing streaming radio service, iTunes Radio, has more than 40 million listeners.
Unlike many of the other apps listed in the Apps Made by Apple section, Beats Music is not free. While the app can be downloaded at no cost, it requires a monthly subscription priced at $9.99. Unlike several competing streaming music services, Beats Music does not offer a free ad-supported listening.
According to rumors, Apple has plans to keep the Beats Music service as a standalone entity, separate from its own iTunes and iTunes Radio offerings.
(Thanks, William!)
