Latest Apple technology 'playing catch up' with Google, Microsoft

Apple announced updates this week, including a music streaming membership service and expansion of payments by phone.

MPR News' Tom Crann talked to Marketplace Tech's Ben Johnson and Houston Chronicle's Dwight Silverman about the latest news.

"Apple, to a certain extent is playing catch up with Google and even with Microsoft with some of the announcements it made," Silverman said.

Johnson said Apple's music announcement also wasn't groundbreaking, but could change the game when it comes to how people pay for their music.

"In terms of function, it does a lot of the same things that other music streaming services that have been out for awhile now already do," he said. "One interesting difference is that it's not offering a free ad-supported service. It's just offering the $10 a month for unlimited ad-free music streaming and also a $15 family plan that 6 people at once can be on."

The announcement led to two state attorney generals to look into anti-competitive concerns, Johnson said.

"When Apple makes a move like this, people pay very close attention to some of the details of the agreements and it's a big enough company that it can really move the needle," he said.

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