Apple is reportedly working on an Android app to expand its iTunes music service to the rival platform as it also looks to develop a music streaming service to rival Spotify.
Citing three people familiar with the matter, Billboard Magazinereported that Apple is looking to deal with a double-digit decline in U.S. download sales at Apple's iTunes Music Store. The decline having come from the double impact of faster Android sales and increased use of music streaming services.
Apple already has a streaming service with iTunes Radio, but it is significantly more restricted in what it offers compared to rival services.
In addition to the new services, Apple is said to be in talks with record labels to secure more exclusive music offers to help stem the decline, but these are not expected to make a meaningul impact on the chances of a customer buying an iPhone over and Android or other device.
What Apple's iTunes is looking to do is to expand its reach into the fast growing music streaming market where it is weak, and finally making its music catalogue available to the much larger Android customer base.
iTunes however still accounts for more than 40% of U.S. recorded music revenue, while a switch to streaming services could see less money for the music labels as the payment rates tend to be lower.
To appease the music labels, Apple is also working on cleaning up the iTunes platform to remove confusing duplicates of tracks and improving its catalogue control to ensure that content that is out of copyright in one country is not offered for free download in another.
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