Apple is in talks to purchase Tidal, the music streaming service owned by rapper Jay Z. That’s according to The Wall Street Journal, which claims that the iPhone maker is attracted to Tidal due to its strong connections with artists including Beyoncé, Kanye West and Madonna.
While “people familiar with the matter” have reportedly told The Wall Street Journal that the talks are currently at an exploratory stage and “may not result in a deal”, it looks like Apple would incorporate an acquired Tidal into its own Apple Music streaming service.
A Tidal spokesperson insisted to the news outlet that Tidal executives had not been in discussions with Apple, while various terms of the deal remain unknown. Tidal was first launched in 2014 and, in January 2015, acquired by Jay Z, who relaunched Tidal the following March.
The service offers two subscription options: a standard option at a monthly charge of $9.99 and, for $19.99 per month, a hi-fidelity option. Tidal has 4.2 million paying subscribers, reports MacRumors.
Should Apple go ahead with a Tidal acquisition, you could soon find yourself listening to the service through wireless headphones. In the just-released new issue of AppleMagazine, we further investigate how wireless technology could continue to transform the music listening experience on iPhones.