Apple revealed its acquisition of Primephonic in 2021, a music streaming service for classical music, and mentioned launching a dedicated app for classical music. Earlier this year, it made the app available on the App Store under the name Apple Music Classical.
The companies announced today that Apple has acquired BIS Records, a classical music label based in Sweden. BIS Records was founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr and focuses on early and contemporary classical music.
In a statement on the website, BIS Records founder Robert von Bahr said:
Apple, with its own storied history of innovation and love of music, is the ideal home to usher in the next era of classical and has shown true commitment towards building a future in which classical music and technology work in harmony. It is my vision and my sincerest dream that we are all a part of this future.
BIS Records is known for its high-quality recordings. Von Bahr praised Apple's efforts to support classical music, including the launch of Apple Music Classical and the company's focus on audio quality.
Apple and BIS also share a fundamental belief in the importance of preserving audio quality. As you are all aware, BIS has always been about exceptional sound quality, and Apple's dedication to sound, as well as to Spatial Audio, is something I have followed with interest.
Financial terms of the BIS Records acquisition were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close soon, with BIS Records becoming fully integrated into Apple's services. BIS Records will become part of Apple Music Classical and Apple's artist development program called Platoon.
Apple has made significant progress with its Music Classical app recently. In May, the music finder app Shazam began supporting Music Classical, including iPhone, iPad, iMessage, and Apple Watch.
The acquisition provides Apple with an established classical music label and an extensive catalog to augment its Apple Music Classical service.
