Music Apps Are Gaining Popularity in Japan
Internet Industry Updates from Google, Facebook, Amazon, and More
Music apps popularity in Japan increased in June
The popularity of music apps among smartphone users in Japan (EWJ) increased at an unexpected rate in June this year.
According to a report from eMarketer, and as the chart above shows, music app penetration among smartphone users in Japan increased from 35.2% in May to 43.9% in June this year. This growth was driven by new music streaming services such as AWA Music and Line Music.
Apple could be a threat in the US music streaming market
The report also mentions that Japan is now the third largest digital music market after the United States and the United Kingdom. The US music streaming market is quite fragmented, with leading players such as Spotify and Pandora (P) remaining small overall.
Apple (AAPL) launched its subscription music streaming service in June this year with much fanfare. The company could soon become a big player in this market.
Facebook (FB) could be the latest major player to join this market. According to a report from The Verge citing multiple sources, Facebook has held talks with major music labels such as Sony (SNE) Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group. To understand more on this topic, please read Facebook the Latest to Look at Music Streaming .
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