ROXi, a U.K.-based music video streaming app, is planning to launch in the U.S. soon with both a free ad-supported service and a fee-based, ad-free premium version.
ROXi says it is only available at present in the U.K. and Ireland but plans to expand into other countries, with a U.S. launch slated for this quarter.
The ad-free premium service will cost $8.99 per month, according to Billboard.
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The app, which will offer voice-activated music videos, will be available on more than 90% of smart TVs including Samsung, LG, Vizio, Roku, Comcast, TCL, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV and Android TV. "Consumers will be able to command their TV to 'Play Taylor Swift' with their voice. The TV will then automatically turn on and start playing Taylor Swift’s music videos," ROXi said in a statement.
A way to save
You can sign up to be notified of when ROXi launches by answering 13 questions at the ROXi site — the first being "Do you live in the U.K. or Republic of Ireland?" — and entering your email address.
The launch of a free music video streaming service follows price bumps at several rivals, including music streaming giants Spotify and Apple Music.
Spotify raised prices of its premium plans in July 2023, and Apple raised the price of Apple Music in October 2022. An individual premium plan will now cost you $10.99 per month at either Spotify or Apple Music.
That makes ROXi's $8.99 per month price point a fairly attractive way to save money.
However, not everything is created equal. ROXi's service is only offered on smart TVs, while Spotify and Apple Music can be played on any smart device, including smartphones.
Other ways to save
Another consideration is to explore other services and take advantage of deals and free trials.
Tidal, for example, offers a high-fidelity streaming platform that provides more than 100 million songs and 650 thousand videos. Tidal is now offering a 30-day free trial, after which its ad-free prices start at $10.99 per month.
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