Apple begins charging fees for Apple Music trials in some countries

Apple Music requires a subscription fee, but some users from various regions have reported Apple charging for trials for its music streaming service.Apple has begun charging small fees for Apple Music for countries such as Australia, Spain and Switzerland.

Users in countries involved must now pay 99 cents in order to begin Apple Music’s trial session. By contrast, Spotify still offers free trials for its music service, and has a “freemium” version of the service which is limited and driven by ads compared to the premium paid version.

It is not clear why Apple began charging for trials in these countries, or whether the company plans to do so in other countries. Apple initially planned to not pay royalties to artists during the three-month trials, but the company reversed course after facing a chorus of criticism from Taylor Swift and other musicians. AppleInsider speculates that the company may now be trying to recover some of those costs with paid trial periods.  

In an email statement to The Verge, Apple said: "Pricing and promotions for Apple Music vary from country to country.” 

While the email statement did not say much, it might hint at Apple’s plans to begin charging for Apple Music trials in more countries soon.

Paid trials might sound like a deal breaker for first time users, but Apple’s loyal user base might prove us otherwise. What are your thoughts on paid trials?