New Delhi, July 18 -- CUPERTINO - A household relying on Apple Music's family plan will pay $36 more each year for the same library it streamed yesterday. Effective Thursday, Apple raised subscription prices for the first time since October 2022, pointing to increased costs in the behind-the-scenes licensing deals that determine how much the company owes to record labels for every song its subscribers play.

The sharpest increase targets the family tier. A plan that cost $16.99 per month now runs $19.99 - a $3 jump that stands out in an industry where most price increases come in $1 increments. Individual subscribers will pay $11.99 per month, up from $10.99. Students, already on the cheapest tier, see their plan rise a dollar to $6.99, t...