Apple Expands Music Service to Reach 75 Million TuneIn Users

Apple is expanding its music service by making its curated radio stations available worldwide through home speakers and connected cars, aiming to attract TuneIn's 75 million monthly active users. This move comes as Apple Music loses ground to Spotify, with its U.S. market share of digital music subscribers sliding to 25% from 30% in 2020. Apple's strategy involves offering curated radio stations, a feature not available on Spotify, and converting radio listeners into paid subscribers.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has announced a strategic partnership with digital radio platform TuneIn to expand its music service. Starting Wednesday, Apple Music's six curated radio stations will be accessible to TuneIn's 75 million monthly active users globally, marking a significant expansion for Apple's music ecosystem [1].

This move comes as Apple Music faces declining market share. According to MIDiA Research, Apple's U.S. market share of digital music subscribers dropped to 25% at the end of 2024, down from 30% in 2020. Spotify's share, in contrast, rose to 37% from 31% over the same period [2]. Globally, Apple's share also declined, dropping to 12% from 16% since 2020 [3].

Apple's strategy to attract more paying subscribers involves offering curated radio stations, a feature not available on Spotify, which relies on algorithmic music curation. Apple Music, which lacks an ad-supported tier, is focused on turning radio listeners into paid subscribers, with many joining through free trial offers bundled with new device purchases [1].

TuneIn's Chief Executive Richard Stern expressed excitement about the collaboration, noting that the stations have no commercials and offer a good listener experience. The partnership will see a link within the TuneIn app and website redirect users to Apple Music, providing Apple with the opportunity to convert them into paying subscribers [1].

This expansion comes after Apple opened iOS 26’s lock screen animation to third-party music and audio apps in June 2025, breaking its exclusive tie to Apple Music [2]. Meanwhile, Spotify has been focusing on expanding its user base and introducing new features, including price hikes and new social features [2].

While the effectiveness of this partnership remains to be seen, it signals Apple's determination to regain market share in the competitive music streaming industry.

References:
[1] https://seekingalpha.com/news/4489600-apple-teams-up-with-audio-streaming-platform-tunein-for-apple-radio-stations
[2] https://www.benzinga.com/news/entertainment/25/08/47377888/apple-takes-on-spotify-expands-music-service-to-tuneins-75-million-users-report
[3] https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/08/27/tunein-is-now-streaming-apple-music-radio-stations-to-75-million-listeners-worldwide