A new partnership with Apple to provide access to Apple Music with special offers to its customers who use iPhone

Bharti Airtel to shut down its Wynk Music app, according to sources. An Airtel spokesperson confirmed this news. The company announced entering into a strategic partnership with Apple to bring Apple TV+ and Apple Music for video and music streaming with special offers to its customers who use iPhones. Bharti Airtel has assured that the shutdown won’t affect Wynk employees as Airtel will absorb all Wynk Music employees.

Launched in 2014, the Wynk Music app currently has more than 100 million users. It started out as an Indian music streaming service and a digital distributor in 14 languages. Launched by Airtel Digital Limited, and digital wing of Bharti Airtel Limited, the app was available in India, Sri Lanka, and 15 African countries. Initially too the app was available only to Airtel subscribers, until 2017 when it was made available to everyone. Wynk Music app’s large music library with over 24 million songs, ad-free experience, and its affordable pricing quickly made it one of the most popular music streaming apps in India.

In an industry where layoffs are often a consequence of such shutdowns, decision to absorb all Wynk Music employees into other roles within Airtel is seen as a positive move. The telecommunication company has assured that this transition process will be smooth, with employees being placed in roles that align with their skills and experience.

This decision to shut down the app aligns with Airtel’s new focus on collaboration with Apple. As part of this partnership, Wynk Premium subscribers will receive special promotions from Airtel, while Airtel users will gain access to Apple Music. Earlier today, Airtel announced that further enhancing its content offerings through its Xstream streaming service it will now provide Apple’s video content platform, Apple TV+.

Airtel has not provided explicit reasons for the shutdown,although industry experts suggest that the decision could be influenced by the intense competition in the music streaming space, coupled with the rising costs of content acquisition and licensing. Additionally, the growing dominance of global players with extensive music catalogs and advanced features may have made it challenging for Wynk Music to maintain its competitive edge.This shutdown marks the end of an era for Airtel’s digital content ventures.