Apple In Talks to Buy Tidal
Apple is looking to eliminate one of their major competitors in the streaming wars. The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is currently in exploratory talks to purchase Tidal.
Purchasing the Jay Z-owned Tidal would remove a major threat to Apple's goal for streaming supremacy. Apple Music and Tidal have arguably been the most aggressive companies when it comes to exclusives. Apple is looking to acquire Tidal in an effort to gain their ties to artists like Kanye West and Nicki Minaj. Owning Tidal would make Apple the clear frontrunner in music's streaming market with the likes of Spotify and SoundCloud as the only legitimate challengers.
Terms of the deal are unknown at this time and it is quite possible that nothing will come of these talks. There is no word if Jay Z is even interesting in selling Tidal. The company appears to be doing well thanks in part to a major boost from Kanye West's The Life of Pablo. The highly anticipated album was a streaming exclusive on Tidal for many weeks.
Jay Z purchased Tidal for $56 million back in March of 2015. While Tidal has eclipsed 3 million subscribers, it apparently took more effort to get to that marker than Jay Z expected. The Roc Nation boss recently sued the streaming company's former owners for allegedly exaggerating the number of then subscribers at the time of the sale.
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