A partnership between Apple Music and China’s primary telecommunications provider China Mobile will expand music access to over a billion mobile subscribers in China.
As reported by Music Business Worldwide, the arrangement enables subscribers to join Apple’s music platform directly through China Mobile’s application, or brick-and-mortar locations. As a state-controlled enterprise, China Mobile leads global telecommunications with its massive user base.
During last week’s announcement, GM of China Mobile’s digital content platform Migu, Wang Gang emphasised their mission to share musical experiences widely, saying “Apple Music is all about the love of music, and we’re committed to bringing that love to as many people as possible.” He indicated future plans to integrate the streaming platform across various China Mobile offerings.
Several standard Apple Music features remain unavailable to Chinese users, though Apple is working to address these gaps. This expansion could strengthen Apple’s position in China’s streaming landscape, where it has maintained a modest presence thus far, facing challenges in gaining a Chinese audience. According to market research firm Daxue Consulting, this is partially due to limited song availability. Government restrictions on international music, including content censorship, create additional barriers.
The market is currently dominated by Tencent Music Entertainment’s family of apps (including QQ Music and others), which serve 117 million subscribers and reach 571 million monthly users. NetEase’s music platform follows with nearly 42 million paying customers. China Mobile’s Migu service reportedly serves 130 million subscribers, though this isn’t officially confirmed in financial reports.
Notably, Spotify remains absent from China, likely due to its relationship with Tencent Music, in which both companies hold ownership stakes. Spotify’s previous financial chief noted in 2018 that their China strategy centred on this investment.
The broader entertainment industry’s hesitation to enter China was recently highlighted by Live Nation’s chief executive Michael Rapino, who cited strict content control as a key factor in making marketing to a Chinese audience “too hard.”
Nevertheless, Apple maintains unique advantages, including collaboration with Douyin (sibling of TikTok) and stands as the sole Western streaming platform operating within China’s borders.
