Samsung reportedly interested in buying Tidal to replace Milk Music [Update]

Samsung may shut down its Milk Music streaming service and replace it with — wait for it — Tidal.

According to a report from Variety, Samsung has laid off a good deal of the Milk Music team, and completely ignored it when showing off services integrated in its new TVs at CES.

This news comes after Samsung shuttered Milk Video, its streaming video service, last year.

Dovetailing into the Milk Music shutdown, Samsung is reportedly in talks to acquire Tidal. Though that deal has been kicked around for some time, a recent uptick in interest surrounding Prince and Kanye West’s exclusives with the streaming music service reportedly caused the two companies to revisit acquisition meetings.

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Tidal comes with a built-in userbase that undoubtedly beats Milk Music’s, but it’s not clear what Samsung’s plans for it may be. If they lock it into Samsung devices as Milk Music was, look for Tidal to be the next streaming domino to fall.

Update: Samsung reached out in response to this article:

We think it is important to clarify on-the-record for you and your readers that the rumor of Samsung acquiring Tidal is not true.

The response didn’t address Milk Music’s shutdown.

➤ Samsung Likely to Shutter Milk Music Service; Considering Tidal Deal (Exclusive) [Variety]