Researcher Aaron Perris has discovered two new strings in the latest code of the Apple Music Android beta: “Premium access required” (requires premium access) and “Can’t skip any more tracks” (skip limit reached), hinting that Apple may be developing a lower‑price or free subscription tier with feature restrictions. According to 9to5Mac, limiting the number of track skips is a hallmark restriction of free tiers on streaming platforms like Spotify, which still touts “skip any track” as a core selling point of its paid subscriptions. However, Perris himself cautions that these strings “could also be related to unrelated features such as radio stations,” and their exact purpose cannot be confirmed yet.
The timing of this discovery is notable: just a month ago, Apple Music head Oliver Schusser told Bloomberg in an interview that ‘free’ is a terrible idea, stating that “Apple Music is the only streaming service without a free tier, and we’re proud of that.” Apple Music currently costs $10.99 per month. Unlike competitors such as Spotify, which have long offered free tiers, Apple has stuck with a fully paid model. Strings appearing in a beta version typically mean the relevant feature could be officially unveiled soon, but all details remain speculative until Apple makes a formal announcement.