The updated iTunes terms of service rolling out with Apple Music today indicate that carriers may be handling at least some Apple Music subscriptions. “Where available, you may be offered an Apple Music Subscription through your carrier (a ‘Carrier Subscription’). If you purchase a Carrier Subscription, your carrier will bill you for the cost of your Apple Music Subscription,” the updated terms read. Apple makes it clear that issues with subscriptions purchased this way will have to be handled with the carrier, not Apple, and that buying a carrier subscription will mean the carrier and Apple exchanging a user’s personal information. Which carriers will be offering Apple Music subscriptions is still unclear. AT&T currently handles subscriptions for Beats Music, which will be canceled when Beats Music users migrate to Apple Music according to a Beats support page.
The Apple Music update also makes the iCloud Music Library feature available to subscribers logged in with their Apple ID. The iCloud Music Library is turned on automatically when users set up their Apple Music subscription, and like iTunes Match, the library can hold up to 25,000 songs, not including those a user has purchased in iTunes. A tweet from iTunes head Eddy Cue teased that the capacity for the iCloud Music Library will go from the 25,000 tracks to 100,000 tracks soon, but as it stands 25,000 is the limit at launch. While listening to Apple Music radio stations, users can store songs they like on the cloud for later playback, but those letting their Apple Music subscriptions lapse will lose access to any saved Apple Music content in the iCloud Music Library that hasn’t also been purchased through iTunes.
