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Apple to Pay Labels During Free Trial Period

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 08: Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue speaks during the Apple WWDC on June 8, 2015 in San Francisco, California. Apple annouced a new OS X, El Capitan, iOS 9 and Apple Music during the keynote at the annual developers conference that runs through June 12. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Spotify might stand to learn something from Apple in how to negotiate between one of the biggest players in the polarizing streaming debate. Earlier this month Taylor Swift penned an open letter to Apple Music — similar to the pointing out that the reason she pulled her catalog from Daniel Ek’s rival— pointing out that the streaming service “will not be paying writers, producers, or artists” during its free three-month trial period.

In response, Apple senior vice president of internet services and software Eddy Cue took to Twitter late Sunday night (June 21) to announce that artists would, in fact, be paid during that time.

In an interview with Billboard, Cue said, “When I woke up this morning and saw what Taylor had written, it really solidified that we needed a change. And so that’s why we decide we will now pay artists during the trial period.”

As for the cost of such an offer, he said Apple would take care of it. “We’re certainly paying for it, yes,” he said. “We’re all in.”