Can You Extend Your Free Apple Music Trial?

As just about everyone has figured out less than a day after the debut of the new Apple Music streaming program, after ninety days, Apple Music will start charging your credit card $9.99 a month for access to its library. However, just like there's an app for everything, there is a hack for everything, and, therefore, there will almost certainly be a hack that will let you retain access without paying eventually. In the meantime, there is already a way to make sure Apple doesn't renew your subscription automatically.

The automatic renewal aspect of the Apple Music update means that, once you sign up for a free trial, Apple will start charging your credit card for access to the 30 million songs unless you specifically turn that option off at the end of your free trial. So, basically, you have to keep track of when your free trial ends, or you might be in for a bit of a surprise on your next credit card statement. However, there's a very easy way to get them not to bill you after the free trial ends if you decide Apple Music isn't for you after all.

Most people don't even know that auto-renewal is on, so you have to seek out the settings on your own. According to Wired, open the Apple Music app, and log in with your Apple ID. Then, all you have to do is go "Manage," which is under subscriptions, and switch "Automatic Renewal" to "Off." However, after that, you will need to shell out the $9.99 a month to keep your Apple Music subscription going.

So, while there might not be a way to keep the free trial going after the period is over, the real question is: should you? Artists get 30 percent of the royalties they are entitled to, coming out to 0.2 cents per stream. But, after people start paying, Apple Music will give 70 percent of the royalties to artists, which will hopefully enable indie bands and labels to make a living.

Business Insider explains how that will benefit everyone, stating, "Apple's stance against free music streaming is supposed to reassure labels and artists that getting paid for allowing their songs to be played on Apple Music is more worthwhile than letting them be played on Spotify." In this digital landscape, it can be tough for artists survive, and Apple Music seems to be the best service yet. Thus, the $10 a month might be mutually beneficial, and is definitely worth paying.

Images: Apple (1)