Apple iCloud+ users to get free Apple TV and Arcade access, Apple One discontinued for new users

In a major revamp of its subscriptions, Apple is now bundling Apple TV and Arcade subscriptions, along with Apple Music Stations, together with iCloud+ without any immediate increase in the prices. Apple One, meanwhile, will no longer be available to new subscribers.

In Short

• iCloud+ Users in India will now get access to Apple TV and Arcade
• The iCloud+ subscription will still cost only Rs 75 per month
• Apple One is no longer available in India to new users

Apple is revamping its services and subscriptions in over 100 countries, including in India, in a significant way. The company is discontinuing the Apple One subscription in India. In its place, it is going to bundle Apple TV and Arcade subscription with the iCloud+ subscription. For now at least the company is keeping the prices of the bundled services the same, which is Rs 75 per month for the Individual subscription or Rs 219 for the Family plan.

This also means that if you are already an iCloud+ subscriber you will immediately also get access to Apple TV and Arcade services without having to pay anything extra. And if you are an Apple One subscriber, the company says you will get an option to either continue with your existing plan or move to the iCloud+ subscription.

New users, however, will not be able to subscribe to Apple One in India anymore. What this effectively means is:

1- If you are an iCloud+ subscriber, or if you subscribe to one, with Rs 75 plan you will now get:

— 50GB iCloud storage

— Access to Arcade, which is a gaming service from Apple

— Access to Apple TV, which is the streaming service from Apple

— Access to curated Apple Music Stations

For additional storage, you will have the option to move to the iCloud Family plan, which costs Rs 219 per month, or iCloud+ with 2TB storage that costs Rs 749 in India.

2- Apple One will be closed to new subscriptions in India. Although, the existing Apple One users will have the choice to continue using their subscription. They will also have the option to transition to the iCloud+ plan, given that the iCloud+ is cheaper and may serve the needs of many Apple One subscribers at more affordable prices.

“We’re excited to bring Apple TV and Apple Arcade to iCloud+ users in over 100 countries in one convenient subscription,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services and Health. “iCloud+ users can now securely store and share personal content across their devices, enjoy the absolute best in original storytelling from Apple TV, and explore an incredible lineup of hundreds of games through Apple Arcade.”

Overall, the move — the way Apple is going about it for now — looks like a win-win situation for Apple users. Although, one exception to this applies and that is for people who use Apple Music.

The Apple One, the way it was available until now, also had Apple Music bundled with it. This is one component that iCloud+ users will not get as part of the bundle, even if they will get a list of curated Apple Music Stations where they can listen to music. But to get the full Apple Music experience, they will have to separately subscribe to Apple Music.

Though Apple is also reducing prices of the Music subscription as it introduces the more substantial iCloud+. The Apple Music will now cost Rs 115 for Individual plan or Rs 145 for the Family Plan. So essentially, the iCloud+ along with a separate Apple Music subscription will still be slightly cheaper than the Apple One. But users will have to manage two separate subscriptions.

- Ends