Apple’s music service will soon be on Amazon Echo devices

Partnership would allow company to expand subscriber base through popular speakers

Apple and Amazon.com announced their second partnership this month: The iPhone maker’s music-streaming service is coming to Amazon’s Echo devices in December.

The move gets Apple Music onto the most popular voicecontrolled speakers, giving it distribution beyond Apple’s own devices.

Subscribers will be able to control Apple Music with Amazon’s Alexa digital assistant, the first time Apple has opened up its music service to full voice control outside its own Siri technology.

The decision pushes Apple’s music service into more living rooms at a time when its own internet-connected speaker, the HomePod, hasn’t sold as well as the competition. Given the breadth of Alexa-enabled speakers on the market, the move could also boost Apple’s own subscription numbers.

“This is further evidence that Apple sees it needs to work with other hardware players in order to advance Apple Music, and it is an admission that the HomePod has been a disappointment,” said Gene Munster of Loup Ventures.

Apple will sell 3.5 million HomePods this year, compared with 28.5 million Echoes and 16.2 million Google Home speakers, making Amazon the best partner to help increase Apple Music subscriptions, according to Loup Ventures.

Apple Music currently has more than 50 million subscribers. The service is a key component of Apple’s plan to expand digital services revenue and offset slowing growth of iPhone unit sales.

Amazon chief executive officer Jeff Bezos cares more about increasing the number of peo- ple using Alexa and Echo speakers than he does about selling phones or music subscriptions. Earlier this month, the e-commerce giant began selling the latest Apple iPhones, Watches and iPads on its website. One notable exclusion was the HomePod.

It’s unclear if the two moves are related. But the e-commerce deal could spur more purchases of Apple devices by Amazon customers.