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Rhetorical questions cut both ways: Why is Apple afraid of subsidizing the free trial designed to acquire customers for their streaming service? Are they afraid that people won't want to continue paying for their service after that?

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Apple did not become one of the most profitable companies in the world by paying expenses partners can be convinced to eat instead.

This. I think Apple is convinced that 3 months is enough time to get customers in the HABIT of using their service such that they'll look at the new $10 charge on their iTunes bill, shrug their shoulders, and go back to listening to music. The whole "no royalties" thing is just Apple playing hardball to try to minimize the cost of the free trial.

Personally, I think they should subsidize some of the smaller/indie labels that can't afford the 3-month drop, but that's plan F or even M for Apple.

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