Apple is taking giant strides with its Apple Music to capture India’s humongous music industry. It’s been called the “next big thing” for Apple in India.
Apple Music has been in the county for nearly two years now, and while the library has grown significantly, it was no match to the nearest competition — Wynk, Saavan, and Raaga.
Supporting Local Talent
Apple is paying special attention to the local talent. Apple Music India will soon feature a whole bunch of regional and indie content. As reported by Mashable —
“It has roped in a host of local musicians and content creators across indie and alternative music as well as mainstream Bollywood, and intends to be the platform that launches India’s homegrown talent to the world.”
Apple is also making special efforts at curating regional language content. Nearly half of music content in India is generated from the four South Indian states, and it’s that market that Apple wants to reach out through Apple Music.
Student Membership Program
Apple Music membership cost in India was already considerably lower than that in the US. Compared to $ 10 per month, we only pay Rs 120. That’s less than 20% of the cost in US.
And then Apple rolled out a special Student Membership deal for Apple Music, which reduced the cost by half! Now, if you’re a student in India, you only need to pay Rs 60 per month.
Partnership with OLA
Apple entered an exclusive partnership with ride-sharing service OLA to stream Apple Music content to customers opting for OLA Prime. The move was made to give Apple Music an edge, and a uniquely Indian connection. That’s why, perhaps, the deal was not made with Uber!
Partnership with Fashion Designers
Apple has also roped in India’s leading fashion designers to tilt the odds in its favour. As reported by Mashable —
“Apple Music has added another interesting dimension by reaching out to renowned Indian fashion designers, including Manish Malhotra and Masaba Gupta, who are curating their favorite playlists on the platform. The company believes that fashion and music go hand-in-hand and a designer’s personal tastes tend to influence his/her designs.”
This is a right time for Apple to push forward as their biggest global rival — Spotify — has not yet entered the Indian market. It also has a leg up on the local music streaming platforms as they have a very poor collection of global music.
Apple Music, thus, has a very unique first mover’s advantage in India.
It’s now upto Apple to make the best of it and grab as much market share as possible before other global giants — like Amazon Music and Spotify — start focusing their energies here.
