Airtel Extends Apple Music Free Subscription to Prepaid Users, Expands Digital Bundles

Highlights

Airtel prepaid customers may now enjoy six months of free Apple Music, strengthening the telecom’s push into bundled digital services.

Bharti Airtel is broadening its digital offerings in India by reportedly extending free Apple Music subscriptions to its prepaid customers. Until now, the partnership with Apple was limited to postpaid and broadband subscribers, but the telecom operator appears ready to include its vast prepaid user base in the mix.

The development comes shortly after Airtel gained attention for offering complimentary access to Perplexity AI Pro, a premium artificial intelligence service worth nearly ₹17,000 annually. This latest move highlights Airtel’s increasing focus on combining connectivity with entertainment and productivity subscriptions.

Offer Spotted on Airtel Thanks App

According to reports from Telecom Talk, several Airtel prepaid customers have started noticing a new banner on the Airtel Thanks app, showcasing the Apple Music offer. The subscription is free for up to six months, after which it will renew automatically at ₹119 per month.

Airtel has not issued an official announcement yet, which leaves eligibility criteria somewhat unclear. Interestingly, the offer has appeared even on non-unlimited 5G plans, suggesting that it may not be restricted to only high-value recharges. Customers are advised to log into the Airtel Thanks app to check their eligibility.

A Push Towards Digital Bundling

The free Apple Music subscription fits into Airtel’s broader digital bundling strategy. The company has been actively partnering with both global and Indian platforms to pack premium content and services with its recharge plans. In February 2025, Airtel collaborated with Apple to bring Apple TV+ and Apple Music to broadband and postpaid customers. Now, the extension to prepaid users significantly widens the potential reach of these services.

Airtel recently launched prepaid recharge packs designed to offer more than just data and calls. These plans bundle access to over 25 popular OTT platforms, including Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5, SonyLIV, Lionsgate Play, Hoichoi, SunNxt, and Aha, covering entertainment across more than 16 languages.

For example, the ₹279 prepaid plan provides one-month validity, including subscriptions to Netflix Basic, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5, and Airtel Xstream Play Premium. Airtel claims these bundled OTT benefits are worth around ₹750. A “content-only” version of this plan is also available, offering the same streaming benefits along with 1GB of data.

For heavier users, the ₹598 plan brings unlimited 5G data, unlimited calling, and bundled OTT subscriptions with a validity of 28 days. At the premium end, the ₹1,729 recharge plan provides unlimited 5G data and calling for 84 days, again with bundled OTT services.

Beyond Entertainment: Perplexity AI Partnership

Alongside entertainment services, Airtel is also adding productivity-focused offerings to its ecosystem. In July 2025, the company partnered with Perplexity AI to provide complimentary access to its premium plan for all Airtel customers. The subscription includes access to advanced AI models, file uploads, image generation, and more.

What It Means for Prepaid Customers

If the Apple Music offer expands more widely, prepaid customers—who often rely on free or ad-supported streaming platforms—could find it highly attractive. A six-month free trial gives users the chance to experience Apple Music’s premium features, potentially converting them into paying subscribers once the trial ends.

For now, Airtel prepaid users will need to check the Airtel Thanks app to see if the Apple Music benefit has been rolled out to their accounts.