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Apple Ending Ad-Supported iTunes Radio Stations at End of January

Friday January 15, 2016 4:42 pm PST by Juli Clover

As part of the winding down of its iAd platform, Apple today sent out a notice to customers who listen to its radio service letting them know the radio feature is being discontinued at the end of January.

In the email, Apple says that Beats 1 radio will be the only free listening option available to those who do not subscribe to the Apple Music service. Customers who listen to radio stations sans ads with an iTunes Match subscription are also receiving the emails and will no longer be able to listen to radio stations as an iTunes Match perk.

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Apple has quietly continued to offer ad-supported iTunes Radio stations in the United States and Australia even after the launch of Apple Music, but with the end of its current iAd platform on the horizon, the feature will be limited to those who pay for Apple Music going forward. Customers in Australia are receiving emails stating the radio service will end on January 29, while U.S. customers are receiving emails that suggest it will no longer be available as of January 28.

Earlier this week, BuzzFeed reporter John Paczkowski said that Apple was working towards dismantling its in-house iAd sales team in favor of a more automated platform. This afternoon, Apple announced the end of its iAd App Network, and it's likely there will be additional changes to products and services as the iAd platform is revamped.

Tags: iTunes Radio, Apple Music

Top Rated Comments

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japanime

40 months ago

I use iTunes Radio all of the time. Very disappointed to hear about this, as Beats 1 just doesn't seem to play the sort of music I'm interested in hearing.

Also, one of the main reasons I subscribed to iTunes Match was so I could listen to iTunes Radio ad-free. I don't consider that a "perk," but rather an integral part of the Match service.

Rating: 49 Votes

Rigby

40 months ago

So just like that, they are removing a feature that iTunes Match subscribers paid for? Nice going, Apple. The chances of me joining Apple Music just went from slim to zero, and perhaps I'll cancel iTunes Match too.

Rating: 31 Votes

Whitelobster

40 months ago

I paid for iTunes Match solely to listen to iTunes Radio ad-free. And because of iTunes Radio, I have found new artists whose albums I've then gone ahead and purchased on iTunes. That will no longer happen.

Not cool, Apple.

Rating: 29 Votes

rbrian

40 months ago

Pretty much every real radio station streams from their own website, or their own app, on any of a dozen or more apps which stream them all. Beats 1 had the chance to Sherlock them, with carefully curated tracks, from every genre. But they chose hip hop and gangsta rap. Even the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show is better.

Rating: 27 Votes

epidote

40 months ago

I use iTunes radio all of the time. Very disappointed to hear about this, as Beats 1 just doesn't seem to play the sort of music I'm interested in hearing.

Ditto, I listened to Beats 1 for about 30 secs once, that was about enough for me. Back to Spotify full time as of Feb.

Rating: 20 Votes

BigHonkingDeal

40 months ago

No problem, Spotify, Pandora, Google Music all have great free Radio features that work just fine for me.

Rating: 18 Votes

rbrian

40 months ago

I use iTunes radio all of the time. Very disappointed to hear about this, as Beats 1 just doesn't seem to play the sort of music I'm interested in hearing.

What, you don't like hip hop? What other kind of music is there?

Rating: 18 Votes