Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) reportedly plans to expand its music service by making its curated radio stations available worldwide through home speakers and connected cars.
Apple Expands Radio Access To Attract TuneIn Users
Apple Music’s six radio stations will be accessible outside the company’s app for the first time, thanks to the arrangement with TuneIn, reported The Wall Street Journal. The expansion is aimed at drawing in TuneIn’s 75 million monthly active users to Apple’s music ecosystem.
Check out the current price of AAPL stock here.
Apple's music service has been losing ground to Spotify (NYSE:SPOT), with its U.S. market share of digital music subscribers sliding to 25% at the end of last year from 30% in 2020, according to MIDiA Research. In contrast, Spotify's share rose to 37% from 31% over the same period. Globally, Apple's share also declined, dropping to 12% from 16% since 2020.
Apple’s strategy to attract more paying subscribers involves offering curated radio stations, a feature not available on Spotify, which relies on algorithmic music curation. Apple Music, which lacks an ad-supported tier, is focused on turning radio listeners into paid subscribers, with many joining through free trial offers bundled with new device purchases.
A link within the TuneIn app and website will direct users to Apple Music, giving Apple the opportunity to convert them into paying subscribers.
Apple’s global expansion comes after the company opened iOS 26’s lock screen animation to third-party music and audio apps in June 2025, breaking its exclusive tie to Apple Music in June.
Spotify Expands With Price Hikes, Social Features
Meanwhile, Spotify has been focusing on expanding its user base and introducing new features, including price hikes and new features for subscribers.
Spotify has also been making moves to transform its platform into a social one, introducing a messaging feature for both free and premium customers, but only for users over the age of 16. This feature allows users to share music, podcasts, and audiobooks, and interact through text and emojis.
According to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, Apple has a growth score of 29.93% and a momentum rating of 33.29%. Click here to see how it compares to other leading tech companies.
READ MORE:
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
