Airtel To Discontinue Wynk Music, Shifts Focus To Apple Collaboration

Bharti Airtel will be discontinuing its streaming music service, Wynk Music after a decade of operation. All employees from Wynk Music will be integrated into the broader Airtel ecosystem, as per media sources.

The update comes after Bharti Airtel's recent collaboration with Apple In., which brings exclusive offers on Apple TV+ and Apple Music to Indian users.

Airtel users will gain access to Apple Music and Wynk Premium users will be offered exclusive deals on Apple Music through Airtel, as confirmed by Bharti Airtel's spokesperson.

Released in 2014, Wynk Music offered features like offline music downloads, caller tunes, podcasts and streaming in multiple regional languages. However, on August 27, Airtel reported a partnership with Apple to bring exclusive offers for Apple TV+ and Apple Music to India. The partnership will enable Airtel Xstream customers to access Apple TV+ content through premium Airtel WiFi and Postpaid plans, enhancing the Airtel Xstream fibre offering.

The exclusive Apple Music and Apple TV+ deals will be available to Airtel customers in India later this year.

According to sources, Airtel decided to discontinue Wynk Music due to the lack of a clear monetisation plan as the music streaming market in India offers limited revenue opportunities. Additionally, Airtel opted to collaborate with Apple to provide a superior service in this space, as per sources.

The source noted that this partnership is mutually beneficial, as it will not only strengthen Airtel’s offerings but also help Apple attract quality subscribers. Through this deal, Airtel will provide Apple Music subscriptions at a discounted rate compared to Apple’s standard pricing. These exclusive offers will be available only to Airtel customers, with no access through other telecom operators.

Additionally, the source mentioned that Apple and Airtel are collaborating on a carrier billing alliance as part of this partnership, which will aid Apple in monetising its OTT and music streaming services.

Airtel had previously explored the possibility of merging Wynk with Times Internet and Tencent-backed Gaana but those discussions eventually fell through. Subsequently, Gaana was acquired by the Times Group's subsidiary, Entertainment Network India Limited (ENIL) in December 2023 for Rs 25 lakh.