In a move that could shake up India's competitive over-the-top (OTT) streaming space, telecom major Bharti Airtel has announced a strategic partnership with technology giant Apple to offer premium customers free subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music.
Under the deal, Airtel's high-end postpaid plans and fiber broadband subscriptions will now come bundled with subscriptions to Apple's popular video and music streaming platforms. This will allow thousands of Airtel customers access to Apple's premium content without any additional costs.
The tie-up underscores the growing trend of content bundling in India as telecom and internet service providers look to package online subscriptions along with connectivity plans. It comes at a time when subscription fatigue among customers has led to the rise of OTT aggregators that allow accessing multiple apps in one place.
For Apple, this represents an opportunity to boost userbase for its streaming services in the highly price-sensitive Indian market. The partnership introduces Apple TV+ and Apple Music to a vast customer base and pits them against established players like Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar.
Meanwhile, Airtel gains an attractive replacement for Wynk Music, its own music app that is being shut down. Absorbing all Wynk employees, Airtel will now be able to offer users seamless transition to Apple's renowned music catalog and platform.
Industry analysts say such tie-ups will continue as telecom giants look to engage customers amid fierce competition. With major deals like Reliance-Disney further consolidating media ownership in India, the bundling trend is likely here to stay.
