Beats Be Gone

After many months of rumors, Apple finally confirmed what many users have long expected — the company is indeed shutting down Beats Music, effective Nov. 30. Current users will be asked to migrate their accounts over to Apple Music. Most industry observers predicted that this consolidation move was just a matter of time after the June 30 launch of Apple Music.
A notice on the Beats Music support page reads, “Beats Music ends on November 30. Your subscription will be cancelled, but you can move your picks and preferences over to Apple Music right now. All the pros that curated music for you are still crafting more amazing experiences. Plus, on Apple Music, you’ll get even better recommendations based on music you already listen to and love, 24/7 global radio with Beats 1, exciting material from your favorite artist, and more.” As Fast Company notes, “Although Apple will continue to manufacture and sell Beats hardware, the iconic brand is officially out of the streaming game.” Adding to the handwriting on the wall — Beats Music had stopped signing up new users shortly after Apple Music’s launch. As Variety reports, “The reason that Beats Music was still up and running was largely its Android app, which Apple Music didn’t offer at launch. However, this week, Apple filled this gap, making it possible to finally retire Beats Music.”