When it comes to streaming, it’s hard to escape the chatter around rising costs and profit margins. Yet unlike its competitors, Apple Music has resisted from jumping on that trend…at least for the moment. Oliver Schusser, Apple Music’s VP and head of international content, recently squashed rumors about upcoming price hikes. He told Music Week, “We don’t really care what the music industry expects. We’re focused on providing great value to our customers.”
But that doesn’t mean Apple has not raised the price of its music streaming platform in the past. The tech giant did raise prices globally a couple years ago during the rolled out Spatial Audio. That move was framed as a value-added enhancement, not just a revenue boost.
Consumers are already feeling the pinch from subscription inflation. Subscriptions services like Netflix, Spotify, and others have raised prices, making every penny count. Apple’s stance highlights a strategic bet: retain customers through consistent pricing and product upgrades, rather than chasing short-term revenue with frequent increases. In fact, Schusser didn’t hold back when it came to rivals — he criticized free-tier ad-supported services, calling them “unfair” to artists due to low per‑stream payouts. Meanwhile, Spotify is planning its own price increase and experimenting with premium tiers. But Apple Music, with no equivalent tier in sight, is currently content with upscale features built into its standard plan.