Beats Music will be standard in iOS starting in 2015

beats music logo canvasApple’s integration of Beats Music will take a step forward early next year when the app will become a standard part of Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, according a report in the Financial Times. The tech company has added Beats’ merchandise at its physical and digital stores, but the inclusion of Beats Music as a default app will give the subscription streaming service visibility on millions of iPhones and iPads.

Apple currently has an estimated 200 million active customers for iTunes; for comparison, Beats had only 110,000 subscribers on its own in March, and a possible 250,000 subscribers in May. It’s still unclear whether Beats is intended to replace or complement iTunes. Financial Times predicted that Beats would be rebranded with the iTunes name, but Apple has not provided any confirmation of that rumor.

Anna Washenko