New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple Music Subscribers Can Stream Songs Without Buying Wi-Fi on American Airlines Flights in U.S. Starting Friday

Wednesday January 30, 2019 4:02 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today announced that, starting February 1, Apple Music subscribers can access Apple Music on any American Airlines flight in the United States equipped with Viasat satellite technology with no Wi-Fi purchase required.


American Airlines is the first commercial airline to provide exclusive access to Apple Music through complimentary inflight Wi-Fi. This applies to the iPhone and likely extends to the iPad, Mac or PC, and Android smartphones.

American Airlines will also be offering a collection of unique city-themed playlists through Apple Music starting February 1.

Tags: Apple Music Guide, American Airlines
[ 94 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
az431
21 weeks ago

Free streaming is all good, but it doesn't help that Apple Music lacks behind Spotify in features, UI and customers.
Offering complementaries is useless, if the product itself isn't as complimentary as its competitor.


50 million people disagree.
[doublepost=1548854411][/doublepost]

Net neutrality is a losing battle really.


How is this a net neutrality issue? If you connect to the internet during the flight you can listen to any streaming service you want.
Rating: 11 Votes
Avatar
4look4rd
21 weeks ago
Net neutrality is a losing battle really.
Rating: 11 Votes
Avatar
calstanford
21 weeks ago
This is the horrible **** that happens with loss of net neutrality. Why only Apple Music? Why not Spotify or Google or whatever? Why only music? Data is data...
Rating: 11 Votes
Avatar
BuffaloTF
21 weeks ago

It's not about getting free wifi. It is also not about conglomerates and their subsidiaries. It is about treating all data equally. Are they doing this? No. Case closed.


No, it’s about you not understanding what Net Neutrality is and throwing around terms you don’t understand and have no business discussing because of that.

The ISP is Gogo or ViaSat. Period.

American Airlines buys from them. They can sell it to you and tell you what you can and cannot do with it. They are not the ISP and never will be. This is not a Net Neutrality issue, no matter how much you want to stand on a soapbox and try to make it one. It’s literally the same as Starbucks blocking P0rn Hub, NOT a net neutrality issue. They’re providing you access to internet THEY purchased, and they can damn well tell you what you can and cannot do with it. The ISP’s ability to serve the content is not a question.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/28/18116576/starbucks-public-wi-fi-porn-block
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
matt_and_187_like_this
21 weeks ago

How is this a net neutrality issue? If you connect to the internet during the flight you can listen to any streaming service you want.


Well, connecting to the internet during a flight costs money. Apple music is now complimentary. Therefore Apple music has an advantage. Therefore it does matter what service you are using. Therefore the internet connection on the flight is not neutral.

This case is really the definition of net neutrality.
[doublepost=1548856083][/doublepost]

This isn't a Net Neutrality issue in any way, shape, or form. It isn't that hard to figure that much out.

American charges for WiFi access on their flights. For Apple Music, they won't make you pay. American Airlines isn't an ISP, they purchase internet access themselves - then charge the passenger for access to it.


Of course they act as an ISP in this case. They literally provide internet service during the flight.
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
psynnott
21 weeks ago

Net neutrality is a losing battle really.


Agreed. You can look at this as free wifi, but you have to pay for certain services (ie. everything that isn't apple music). This is not treating all data the same.
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
matt_and_187_like_this
21 weeks ago

That's some serious mental gymnastics you're pulling and still landing on your face.

Net Neutrality is about an ISP not shaping traffic to favor certain services. IE, Comcast owning NBC providing more bandwidth to serve the NBC app while providing lesser service to Netflix or charging them more to deliver their traffic; or AT&T owning HBO providing more bandwidth to serve HBO Now. It was never about you getting free internet from Starbucks, who can do whatever the hell they want to give you access to what they've purchased.

American Airlines does not provide you internet service. They purchase that from Gogo. American Airlines is only giving you the password to their router, so to speak.


It's not about getting free wifi. It is also not about conglomerates and their subsidiaries. It is about treating all data equally. Are they doing this? No. Case closed.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
az431
21 weeks ago

Well, connecting to the internet during a flight costs money. Apple music is now complimentary. Therefore Apple music has an advantage. Therefore it does matter what service you are using. Therefore the internet connection on the flight is not neutral.

This case is really the definition of net neutrality.
[doublepost=1548856083][/doublepost]

Of course they act as an ISP in this case. They literally provide internet service during the flight.


You're about as wrong as wrong gets. That's like saying because I let people use my wi-fi that telling them they can't use it to download porn is a net neutrality issue. Or that a restaurant that plays music for their customers can't decide what music to play for those customers.

Net neutrality concerns the network layer, which is the layer that forms the backbone for internet communications.
"Provide internet service" has never been how that layer is defined even by the most ardent proponents of net neutrality.

You're free to dislike American and Apple Music, and opine that what they've done here sucks. But you can't recast your personal beliefs that as a net neutrality violation to shore up your credibility.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
BuffaloTF
21 weeks ago

This is the horrible **** that happens with loss of net neutrality. Why only Apple Music? Why not Spotify or Google or whatever? Why only music? Data is data...


This isn't a Net Neutrality issue in any way, shape, or form. It isn't that hard to figure that much out.

American charges for WiFi access on their flights. For Apple Music, they won't make you pay. American Airlines isn't an ISP, they purchase internet access themselves - then charge the passenger for access to it.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
BuffaloTF
21 weeks ago

Well then, let ISP's create independent companies, who they license their network to (or simply license their network to third parties). You as a consumer can only buy contracts with these independent companies not with the ISP directly. The companies sell you internet for a fixed amount of 50 per month. Netflix is included, Amazon is another 50. No breach in net neutrality. Or is it.


You’re just gaslighting now because you’re wrong.

American Airlines isn’t an ISP and never will be one. This is not and never will be a Net Neutrality issue. Pushing this narrative doesn’t help the cause of those that want Net Neutrality back, because this confuses the matter in a very stupid way. You’re asking for free internet, when you boil it down to basics. You didn’t pay an ISP for this internet access, and you’re now mad that the person/entity that did won’t give you access to it for free. Do you give your WiFi password out to your neighbors to use at their own discretion?
Rating: 5 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]