Collaborations between heavyweight tech giants, Apple and Amazon, are getting stronger with time. Just weeks ago, Apple announced to sell its consumer products on Amazon portals. Now, Amazon brings Apple Music to Echo customers
Amazon.com Inc will be allowing users to play Apple Music on its Echo smart speakers starting December 17. A recent entry on the Amazon blog clarified that Apple Music subscribers “will be able to enjoy Apple Music’s 50 million songs on Echo devices.”
Google, another major player in the smart speakers market, does not allow users to play Apple music on ‘Google Home’ speakers.
According to a research published by eMarketer, the number of smart speaker users in US will rise to 76.5 million by 2020. Another research published by IDC India said that smart speakers segment in India registered 43 per cent sequential growth during the second quarter of 2018. The research also identified Amazon as the leader during the same quarter followed by Google.
Amazon ‘Echo Dot’ and Apple ‘HomePod’ are two competing products
The recent announcement is another reminder of the increasing collaborations between the two tech giants that have their own line of consumer electronic products.
Apple currently sells its smart speaker ‘HomePod’, while Amazon has its own smart speaker range under the ‘Echo’ series category. It is to be noted here that Apple HomePod and Amazon ‘Echo Dot’ are generally seen as rivaling consumer electronic products.
Dave Limp, senior vice president, Amazon Devices, wrote on the Amazon blog, “We’re thrilled to bring Apple Music – one of the most popular music services in the US – to Echo customers this holiday.”
Earlier collaborations between Apple and Amazon
The two tech giants just weeks ago had announced collaboration to sell some Apple products including iPhone models. The deal was touted as Apple’s move to regain market value of iPhone models that have been dropping ever since the smartphone giant had launched its new range in 2018.
It is to be also noted here that Amazon is in the process of de-listing third-party merchants not authorised by California-based technology company Apple from its portals.
“Alexa, play ‘Bebe Rexha’ on Apple Music”
The entry titled “Alexa, play Bebe Rexha on Apple Music” on the Amazon blog clearly states that Echo Dot customers will be able to give voice commands to Alexa to play their favorite songs, titles or Albums present on Apple Music.
Dave, on the same blog stated, “Music is one of the most popular features on Alexa—since we launched Alexa four years ago, customers are listening to more music in their homes than ever before.”
