Apple is betting that customers are willing to pay monthly subscription fees for cloud storage, content streaming, and other services, which has seen subscription revenue growing faster than hardware sales.
Apple One subscription packages allow subscribers to save money. Each service can be bought individually if preferred.
iCloud
iCloud allows Apple users to synchronize documents, notes, and Safari browser bookmarks across multiple devices. The service replaced MobileMe, which required annual subscription fees to synchronize data files, emails, contacts, and calendar events between iOS and Mac devices.
This service operates silently in the background, often unnoticed – documents created on one iPhone are instantly available on another, music downloaded to an iPod Touch can be played back on any other, etc. Additionally, it provides a central place for backup, storage, and sharing of photos, videos, notes, and passwords among authorized users.
iCloud comes with 5GB of free storage, with additional options available at an additional fee. It can be activated by going into Settings on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch; or System Preferences on a Mac computer.
Apple Music
Apple Music is Apple’s subscription music service, featuring over 50 million songs, exclusive radio stations like Apple Music 1 (formerly Beats 1), curated playlists, and offline listening functionality via devices or Siri integration.
Like Spotify, Pandora’s user interface features large images with a navigation bar at the bottom. However, unlike its rival, it lacks social media integration and more limited sharing options.
Apple Music can be found across iOS, macOS, Android devices, the HomePod, Apple TV, and Apple Watch, among other products and services that Apple offers, such as iCloud and App Store. Apple hardware owners receive access free of charge.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ was introduced in November 2019 to provide streaming enthusiasts with a new platform for original movies, shows, and documentaries. Since its debut, it has gained widespread acclaim, with shows like Ted Lasso earning multiple Emmy nominations and coming-of-age drama CODA taking home an Oscar Award for Best Picture.
Apple may still fall short when it comes to classic movies and offering a comprehensive library comparable to Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu; however, they are slowly amassing older titles, including the 1980s Jim Henson TV series Fraggle Rock which can now be watched on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV devices. Still, no Android or Windows apps have yet been developed for access.
Apple TV app(opens in new tab) makes sharing one account easy for up to six family members watching content at once; this is one key advantage distinguishing it from competitors.
Apple News+
Apple News+ is a news subscription service offered through Apple One plans that provide access to multiple popular magazines (like WIRED, National Geographic, Time, and Rolling Stone ) and newspapers (The Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times ) without paywalls imposed by other prestigious publications. A free one-month trial period is also included with this plan.
Any magazine you add a heart to will automatically download to your device so you can read it offline, even without WiFi or LTE coverage. These downloaded stories can be found under Apple News’ Saved Stories tab; should space become limited, they can be deleted via Settings Menu. In addition, browse more great Mac apps with our Setapp collection!
Apple Pay
Apple Pay’s payments system – which enables users to make contactless purchases using an iPhone or iPad and conduct app transactions – generates significant service revenue for Apple. This payment method uses fingerprint recognition and secure token technology to protect customers’ credit card data while being significantly faster than magnetic stripe or chip-card EMV transactions.
Apple Pay is also a key selling point of its physical card, the Apple Card. Supported by the Wallet app and available to thousands of businesses ranging from hotels and restaurants to non-profit organizations and rideshare services like Uber, this digital payment option collects fees from banks it partners with and pays out rewards directly back into its ecosystem. Although reports state this fee goes back into Apple’s coffers directly, whether that benefit trickles down to users, merchants, or developers remains unknown.
