Folks looking to try Apple Music in at least three major markets now have 99 (very minor) problems to deal with. As reported in the Apple blogosphere, the music streaming service has begun flexing its "prices vary" prerogative by charging 99 cents for a three-month trial in Australia, Spain and Switzerland. Elsewhere, including the United States, Japan and Germany, the 90-day toe-dip is exactly zero cents.
The move by Apple Music, which at last disclosure had "well past" 20 million paid subscribers, could be a trial balloon before instituting a 99 cent price tag to the trials in other markets. Or, as some have speculated, it may be an attempt to recoup some revenue to pay lost royalties during earlier free trials. Either way, it's 33 cent per month. Not bad.
In a statement issued to The Verge, Apple simply stated that, "Pricing and promotions for Apple Music vary from country to country."
Other on-demand services offering free trials include Amazon Music Unlimited (30 days), Google Play Music (30 days), Tidal (30 days), SoundCloud Go (30 days) and Pandora Premium (60 days).