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As Apple preps Music revamp, Spotify claims growth

NEW YORK —The battle between Apple Music and Spotify continues. 

NEW YORK —The battle between Apple Music and Spotify continues. 

Since its launch last June, many have wondered what impact Apple Music would have on Spotify, the arguable leader in the budding music streaming category. One year later, Spotify vice president Jonathan Forster says Apple's arrival has only helped, not hurt, the Swedish streaming giant. 

Talking with Reuters, Forster seems rather pleased the Apple has entered the market. "It's great that Apple is in the game. They are definitely raising the profile of streaming. It is hard to build an industry on your own," Forster said. "Since Apple Music started we've been growing quicker and adding more users than before."

Though some expected Apple's arrival to slow down Spotify, Forster says the service is now closing in on 100 million subscribers since its launch in 2008. In March, CEO Daniel Ek tweeted that the company has 30 million paid, or "Premium," subscribers, up from 20 million last June. Apple Music, by comparison, has 13 million users CEO Tim Cook revealed during the company's earnings call last month. 

And though Spotify looks to have won round one of this battle, the war amongst streaming services rages on. Last week, Apple introduced student pricing for its music service, matching Spotify's popular $4.99 a month discount offered to college students. Paid subscriptions to both services traditionally start at $9.99 per month.

The iPhone maker is also expected to introduce a radical redesign of Apple Music next month at its annual Worldwide Developer Conference. According to Apple blog 9to5Mac, the new layout will drop the current app's colorful design for a more refined black and white look with a greater emphasis placed on the curated "For You" section of the app. The new Apple Music app is expected to be released to the public this fall as part of Apple's annual iOS software upgrade for the iPhone and iPad, Bloomberg reported. Apple hasn't commented on the report.

Spotify has been countering with a new focus on video content — something offered by Apple Music and other rivals such as Tidal and YouTube — in a bid to keep more people on the app. On Monday, the streaming service announced it would be making 12 new original series as well as partnering with actor Tim Robbins and Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Records. The new series would expand on the company's current video offerings, which feature video podcasts and content from ESPN, NBC and Comedy Central and online outlets including BuzzFeed and Maker Studios. 

Follow Eli Blumenthal on Twitter @eliblumenthal.

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