Apple completes Shazam acquisition; confirms it will soon make the app ad-free for all

As the new owner of Shazam, Apple has confirmed it will soon make the app service completely ad-free for all users. Image: AFP PHOTO/CHRISTOF STACHE

Tech giant Apple has today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Shazam — one of the world’s most popular and highly-rated music apps — with plans to soon make the service completely ad-free.

Shazam, which works by allowing users to identify songs simply by listening to the music playing around them, is currently used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide, but has to-date operated with ads sporadically interrupting service.

Shazam iPhone App. Image: Apple

Apple aims to change all that — and fast.

Commenting on the acquisition via an official statement earlier today, Apple confirmed that it will soon offer its experience ad-free for all users and said that the takeover was a match made in music heaven.

“Apple and Shazam have a long history together. Shazam was one of the first apps available when we launched the App Store and has become a favorite app for music fans everywhere,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music.

“With a shared love of music and innovation, we are thrilled to bring our teams together to provide users even more great ways to discover, experience and enjoy music.”

A success since its launch, Shazam has now been downloaded over 1 billion times around the world, and users identify songs using the Shazam app over 20 million times each day. Its acquisition by Apple, according to TechCrunch, is reported to have been to the tune of an estimated $400 million. NVG

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