Apple is raising prices again. The tech giant just bumped the cost of an Apple Music Individual plan in the United States to $11.99 a month. That’s up from the old price of $10.99. The jump is small but noticeable. Student plans are hitting $6.99 now. They were $5.99 before. If you have a family, the Family plan is going to $19.99 per month. It used to cost $16.99.
This isn’t just happening in America. People in Europe are seeing the exact same numbers, just swapped for euros. Individual subscriptions are now €11.99. Student rates sit at €6.99. Family plans? €19.99. Across the pond in the UK, things look similar. The Individual plan is £11.99. The Family tier is £19.99 as well.
So what does this mean for your wallet? New subscribers pay the new rates immediately. Existing customers aren’t charged extra right this second. You will get a notification soon. The higher bill will show up at your next billing cycle. Just keep an eye on your inbox.
The price hikes are a direct result of “rising licensing costs,” Apple told Music Business Worldwide.
It’s not just music streaming getting more expensive. Apple One bundles are also getting pricier. The basic bundle stayed at the same price. The rest went up. The Apple One Family plan is now $27.95. That is up from $25.95. The Premier plan costs $39.96 now. It used to be $37.96.
The bad news doesn’t stop at subscriptions. iPhone prices have jumped in Japan. They went up roughly 8 to 10 percent. iCloud+ is seeing even bigger spikes. In eight specific countries, costs rose between 11 and 55 percent. These countries include Nigeria. Turkey. Vietnam. Egypt. New Zealand. The Philippines. And Indonesia.
This wave of increases comes about a month after Apple hiked prices on a lot of other products. The main culprit was a shortage of memory chips. But licensing fees are also to blame for the music service hikes.
Why is Apple doing this now? Maybe they think people will pay it. Maybe they have to. Or maybe this is just the start. If you are waiting for a sale, don’t hold your breath. The baseline has moved up. The music is getting louder. And so are the bills.
