Apple Music Subscription Prices Increase, No More $5 Option

The $5 Siri Voice Plan, which offered the cheapest Apple Music membership, has now been discontinued by Apple. New signups for this plan are no longer available, and existing subscribers will be automatically switched to a different plan after their billing cycle ends. In order to continue using Apple Music, Siri Voice Plan subscribers will need to upgrade to either an Individual, Family, Student, or Apple One plan.

Introduced in 2021, the Siri Voice Plan had a unique concept where subscribers could access the entire Apple Music catalog for just $5 a month, but the only way to stream music was through Siri voice commands. However, important features such as a dedicated user interface, lossless audio, and playlist creation were not available with this plan.

The Siri Voice Plan, despite its oddness, offered a good value. For those who solely used their HomePod for music streaming or preferred sources like radio stations and personalized playlists, Apple Music was not necessary. Additionally, for those on a tight budget, finding an affordable ad-free streaming plan could be challenging. The Siri Voice Plan addressed these needs with a competitive price of $5 per month. From Apple's perspective, this plan likely served as an entry point to more expensive Apple Music memberships. When a user without an Apple Music subscription asked Siri to stream a song, they would be offered a free trial for the Siri Voice Plan. However, this voice-only plan was not very popular and may have caused confusion among some customers. Apple has not provided an explanation for discontinuing it.

All Apple Music plans include Siri voice functionality. If you enjoy using Siri with your current membership, you may want to consider upgrading to the Apple Music Individual plan for $11 per month. For a small additional cost of $17 per month, the Family plan allows sharing among six people. The Apple One plan, priced at $20 per month, provides access to a range of Apple services such as Arcade, News+, and extra iCloud storage. Currently, the Apple Music Student plan is the most affordable option, exclusively available to students pursuing a degree or equivalent higher education course.

Editor's P/S

**My Opinion on Apple Music Subscription Prices Increase**

I'm disappointed that Apple is increasing the prices of its Apple Music subscription plans. The $5 Siri Voice Plan was a great option for people who only wanted to use Siri to play music. Now, the cheapest option is the Student plan, which is $6 per month. This is still a good value, but it's a shame that the $5 option is no longer available.

I understand that Apple needs to make money, but I think it's important to offer a variety of pricing options so that people can find a plan that fits their needs and budget. I hope that Apple will reconsider its decision to increase prices and offer a more affordable option in the future.

**My Feelings About the Discontinuation of the $5 Siri Voice Plan**

I'm sad to see the $5 Siri Voice Plan go. It was a great option for people who didn't need all the features of the other Apple Music plans. I used the Siri Voice Plan to listen to music while I was cooking or cleaning, and it was perfect for my needs.

I'm not sure why Apple decided to discontinue the plan, but I'm disappointed that it's gone. I hope that Apple will bring back a similar plan in the future.