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 favourite 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 iPhone handsets and other devices.