Google Play Music has hit the African market, launching in South Africa today. The service allows any user to upload up to 50,000 songs from their libraries free of charge, and can also purchase additional tracks and keep in their Google Play Music Libraries permanently. The subscription, much like to Spotify and Apple Music, costs $9.99 per month.
Google Play Music is Cheaper in South Africa
The service will be coming to South Africa at the excellent price of $49.99 South African rands per month, which is about $3.50. There hasn’t been any information released regarding if this will be the price only for a limited time or if it will remain as is.
This is Google’s first outreach to the African continent though other Google Play services are available in African countries. Google Books was first introduced to South Africa in 2014, and Google Apps have also been around for a while. Google Movies is available in certain African countries, but not in South Africa.
Google Play Music iOS App is Also Now Available in South Africa
The original Google announcement declares that the app would only be available for Android and the web, but an app for iOS has since rolled out. Google is starting to roll out more and more Google products three months after carrier billing was released for Google Play purchases in South Africa.
This means that instead of being charged directly onto their cards, users who buy content at Google Play get billed directly to their phone bills. That could be Google’s business model for African countries as it’s not certain that this kind of strategy would work in the American market. Still, this is great news for Google, who is offering the same services as Spotify and Apple Music for a significantly cheaper price. This will give them a definite advantage in an important market.
