QQ Music TV will pay separately.
On January 17th, a reporter from Pengpai News learned that QQ Music TV has recently issued a notice to users that the membership function of QQ Music TV has been upgraded from luxury green diamonds to independent membership on the TV side. To protect user rights, former members of Luxury Green Diamond can continue to enjoy the right to play member songs for free on the TV platform until July 1, 2024.
This also means that QQ Music TV members will implement separate payment, and the original benefits will cease on July 1st.
An insider told Pengpai News that TV members are still in the small-scale grayscale testing stage and will gradually become popular in the future.
It is understood that QQ Music Android TV version has been upgraded to version 8.0.1.14, with the addition of TV members. In terms of price, QQ Music TV members are priced at a limited time of 18 yuan per month for consecutive monthly packages, 50 yuan per month for consecutive seasonal packages, and 360 yuan per month for 12 months (with a reduction of 180 yuan and actual payment of 180 yuan).
Regarding this, the reporter consulted QQ Music and as of the time of publication, there has been no response. In the afternoon of that day, QQ Music's artificial customer service told the reporter from Pengpai News that there were indeed relevant adjustments, but it was not convenient to disclose the specific reasons for this payment mechanism adjustment.
Previously, long video apps such as Tencent Video, iQiyi, Youku, and Mango TV generally adopted a separate payment system on the TV end. "Even music has to be divided into different sizes and screens?" On social media, many netizens expressed confusion, "Will smart speakers be paid separately in the future?"
Industry insiders have explained to reporters that QQ Music is not the first music app to adopt a television membership system. Many mainstream music apps in the industry, including NetEase Cloud Music and Kugou, have already adopted a television membership system. Public information shows that NetEase Cloud Music has already launched a TV version application in 2022, and Kugou Music also has a corresponding TV version.
According to the NetEase Cloud Music APP, "Black Gum VIP" members can be used on mobile phones, computers, and tablets, while "Black Gum SVIP" members can cover multiple scenarios such as mobile phones, computers, tablets, watches, TV/smart speakers, and car phones. Black Gum VIP members are priced at 88 yuan/year, while Black Gum SVIP members are priced at 348 yuan/year.
"The main reason for implementing TV payment is that the platform's membership fee and advertising fee on the TV end need to be shared with the TV hardware manufacturer and licensing party. Currently, different licenses are required for content media such as film and music to be played on the TV end and on the mobile end, which have increased the platform's costs," explained the industry insider.
QQ Music is a product of Tencent Music Entertainment Group (Tencent Music, NYSE: TME; 01698. HK). According to the financial report, Tencent Music's total revenue in the third quarter of 2023 was 6.57 billion yuan, a year-on-year decrease of 10.8%; The net profit was 1.26 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.6%; Under Non IFRS, the net profit was RMB 1.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%.
As of the close on January 17th, Tencent Music Hong Kong's stock price was HKD 33.60, down 5.22%. As of the close on January 16th, Tencent Music's US stock price closed at $9.01, down more than 4%.