Apple has expanded the reach of its Apple Music platform to an additional 52 countries as part of the biggest geographical expansion of its services in almost a decade.
Apple is also making App Store, game subscription service Apple Arcade, Apple Podcasts and iCloud available in 20 more countries.
The expansion is the largest since Apple expanded its former iTunes Store to India, Russia and more than 50 other countries in 2012.
It means the App Store is now available in 175 countries, while Apple Music is in 167. By comparison, music streaming rival Spotify operates in 79 countries.
The geographical expansion comes as Apple attempts to build up the revenues it derives from services amid fears of falling smartphone sales. Services revenues hit a record $12.72 billion in the first quarter of 2020, up 17% year over year.
Much of the new expansion is focused on Africa. The App Store, Apple Arcade, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and iCloud are now available in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Libya, Morocco, Rwanda and Zambia.
The Maldives and Myanmar will receive the services in Asia, while Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia have been added to Apple’s footprint in Europe.
In the Middle East, Afghanistan (excluding Apple Music) and Iraq are now added, while Nauru (excluding Apple Music), Tonga and Vanuatu are added in Oceana.
Apple Music is also expanding to the following countries in Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Chad, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Tunisia.
Elsewhere, Apple Music is expanding to Bhutan, Croatia, Iceland and North Macedonia, the Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Turks and Caicos, Uruguay, Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen and the Solomon Islands.
“We’re delighted to bring many of Apple’s most beloved services to users in more countries than ever before,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and international content.