Apple plans classical music app with buy of Primephonic

Apple on Monday announced it is buying classical music streaming service Primephonic and will launch an app dedicated to the genre.

Apple did not disclose how much it paid for Europe-based Primephonic, which confirmed that it is becoming part of the iPhone-maker's music service.

"We felt compelled to develop a streaming service that truly gets classical right -- so that's what we did over the last three years," the Primephonic team said in the post.

"But to fully achieve the next phase of our mission, we need to bring our classical streaming expertise to millions of listeners worldwide."

Primephonic will go offline on September 7, with subscribers being offered six months of free use of Apple Music, according to the companies.

"We love and have a deep respect for classical music, and Primephonic has become a fan favorite for classical enthusiasts," said Apple Music vice president Oliver Schusser.

"Together, we're bringing great new classical features to Apple Music, and in the near future, we'll deliver a dedicated classical experience that will truly be the best in the world."

Apple Music will weave Primephonic technology into a dedicated classical music app it plans to launch next year, according to the companies.

"Bringing the best of Primephonic to Apple Music subscribers is a tremendous development for the classical music industry," Primephonic co-founder and chief executive Thomas Steffens said in a joint release.

"We get to bring classical music to the mainstream and connect a new generation of musicians with the next generation of audience."

The acquisition comes as the Silicon Valley based technology giant defends its control of the App Store that acts as the sole gateway for digital content onto its iPhones and other devices.