Most iPhone owners in Ghana who are also fans of music streaming services like Apple Music have encountered several subscription and app-related issues over the years.
Why should anyone bother to pay money for music? It’s no secret that the cost of recording and production is high. Obtaining music without paying for it is considered piracy. Furthermore, your phone is vulnerable to malware infection if you browse dubious, unreliable third-party websites.
Is Apple Music the same as iTunes, or do they serve different purposes?
First, though, I think it’s important to clarify something. A subscription to Apple Music is considerably different from an iTunes account. iTunes is Apple’s digital music store (Music, Movies, Ringtones). You will always have full ownership of any content you purchase from the iTunes Store. You may also get it on your Mac or PC, or any iOS device.
On the other hand, Apple Music is not a store but rather a subscription service. Instead of paying for each piece of music individually, you pay a flat monthly fee. For that fee, you can stream any song in Apple Music’s catalog. All of these tunes are available for download, so you can build your playlists or listen to them later without an internet connection.
In Ghana, how much does Apple Music cost?
In Ghana, a monthly Apple Music membership is GHS 153.94, which is far less than the average monthly price in other countries. In the United States, you’d have to pay roughly GHS 500 (or $50) for the same service.
That’s not even the greatest part. Apple is known for providing student discounts across the board. So, students receive a 50% discount off the regular price.
Apple Music’s student verification process
Apple allows students at universities in Ghana to sign in with myUnidays to receive a student discount. You can only sign in if you have an official school-issued.edu (or.edu.gh) email address. It shouldn’t take more than ten minutes to make sure your school is included in the coverage map.
After entering your name, email address, and any other required fields, please click the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page. It will just take a few minutes for a verification link to be delivered to your school email, so sit back and relax.
How to subscribe to Apple Music in Ghana with and without a Mastercard
It’s all there is to say about that. It appears that some Ghanaian debit cards, notably those issued by banks whose DCC has been deactivated, are still not fully compatible with iTunes purchases (Dynamic Currency Conversion).
This is why many of us become frustrated when we use a MasterCard or Visa and see the dreaded “Payment Declined” message. After that, you’ll have to deal with the hassle of returning to your bank to make amends or paying to have a replacement card issued, neither of which guarantees that the issue will be fixed.
I am aware of it. I felt the same way. But I learned a straightforward method that requires next to no effort and costs essentially nothing to implement. After attempting many other credit cards in Ghana, this one hurts.
The procedure makes use of an external app called Gomoney. Gomoney is a digital financial institution that enables its users to send and receive money, split bills, and keep track of expenses.
After downloading the app and filling out the required registration information, you will be able to obtain a virtual credit card. Additional account verification is required, so please provide your BVN before you can receive the card. Self-portraits are required before proceeding to the next step.
Provide this information to prevent fraudulent activity, increase your transaction limits, and gain access to all Gomoney benefits.
After receiving a real MasterCard, you have the option of requesting a virtual MasterCard using the app. The virtual card request process is much faster than the physical card request process.
Once you click Get Virtual Card, you’ll be prompted to enter the One Time Password (OTP) sent to the registered phone number. Because the OTP is only good for 5 minutes, you’ll need to double-check quickly or request a new OTP.
Once everything is in order, the money app will let you know when to expect your card to arrive. Just come back in an hour, and you’ll have it! All set, and it won’t cost you any Ghana cedis to use your prepaid debit card online.
Afterward, click See Details to bring up your card details, which you may either screenshot or jot down for later use. To continue your Apple Music subscription, you’ll need to enter your new virtual MasterCard details. This digital card will ensure that your Apple Music subscription is always active.
If you’re a first-time Apple Music customer, you might not need to add funds to your GoMoney account until the conclusion of your free 3-month trial period (depending on the plan you choose).
If you are a current subscriber, however, you will need to send money to your GoMoney account number, which can be found on your profile page within the app.
Be aware that you can terminate your membership at any time before its expiration if you change your mind about keeping it.
How to Cancel Apple Music
- Simply go to Settings
- Select “Cancel Membership” under “subscriptions”, if you are concerned that you might forget to cancel your subscription before it renews.
- Up until the next due date, you can continue to use your free trial or current subscription.
