Apple Music Discontinues Siri-Exclusive Voice Plan After Nearly Two Years
The decision to phase out the plan was not explicitly announced by Apple but was hinted at through code references in a recent beta release. The reasons for this move are not officially disclosed, but it is likely due to limited popularity and features.
Karobar
In a surprising move, Apple Music has officially discontinued its most affordable subscription option, the Voice Plan. Launched in 2021 at a cost of $5 per month, this unique subscription offered a Siri-exclusive experience, allowing users to access Apple Music's extensive catalog solely through voice commands, requesting songs, genres, albums, or artists.
While Apple did not make a formal announcement regarding the discontinuation of the Voice Plan, a message on its support page conveyed the decision:
"Starting from November, Apple will be phasing out the Apple Music Voice plan. Our primary focus is on delivering the best possible music experience for our customers, with enhancements like immersive Spatial Audio, real-time lyric display with Apple Music Sing, intuitive browsing and discovery features, and much more."
The writing was on the wall when, according to 9to5Mac, code references within the iOS 17.1 beta indicated that Apple was preparing to discontinue the plan.
The exact reasons for discontinuing the Voice Plan have not been disclosed by Apple, but it is speculated that it failed to gain sufficient traction. Some users may have found the plan's limited nature less appealing due to the absence of features like real-time lyrics, the ability to add songs to their library, or create custom playlists. Additionally, the Voice Plan was only available in select countries, including the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Austria, Canada, Mexico, China, France, Germany, Spain, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
For those who will miss the Siri-exclusive experience, Apple assures users that all other Apple Music plans, including Individual ($11/month), Student ($6/month), Family ($17/month), and Apple One, continue to support Siri. Users can use Siri, including the Type to Siri feature, to play any song, album, playlist, or radio station.
As of today, the Voice Plan has been officially removed from Apple's website. Existing Voice Plan subscribers will be allowed to continue using the service until the end of their current billing cycle; however, auto-renewal for this plan has been deactivated.
