Apple to Shut Down Beats Music + Rebrand as Apple Music

After acquiring the Beats Music brand, Apple is now gearing up for its relaunch, which includes complimentary trials for new members.

Along with those free trials, Apple has now announced that they are disbanding the Beats Music brand completely in order to launch Apple Music. The service will apparently be announced in early June and officially unveiled toward the end of the month.

This sense of urgency likely crept up from the recent launch of the artist-run Tidal, fronted by artists like Jay-Z and Jack White, which came on the heels of the international success of streaming pioneer Spotify. (Making sure they don't get left in the dust, Spotify recently hinted at the addition of video streaming to its service, which will probably be a part of a big announcement scheduled for May 20.)

If you remember the "Ping" feature in iTunes (which didn't last long), Apple Music will reportedly be setup similarly, utilizing a social network where artists can upload videos, photos, updates and more. Those who are already subscribed to Beats Music will be able to transfer their current music to the new app, which will be heavily integrated into the upcoming iOS 8.4. Users will not have their own profile pages, but will be able to comment on artist updates -- or deactivate them altogether if so desired.