Astro has officially launched RAKU – a locally-based radio and music streaming service. On RAKU, users can stream both local as well as international music on all smart platforms, including smartphones, tablets, and also PCs.
RAKU is similar to Spotify and Deezer, but it is geared more towards delivering Malaysian content, showcasing local acts to the people of Malaysia. It features a localised interface that utilises the four main languages in Malaysia – BM, English, Mandarin and Tamil. Partnering with Digi, RAKU is now host to more than 20 live radio stations and podcasts. Users can not only listen to music of different languages, but also tune into their favourite radio stations, local bands, or even listen to playlists curated by celebrities.
There are two versions of RAKU available – Free and Premium. Premium users get more functionality such as unlimited access to millions of songs, customised playlists, radio on-demand, as well as music download for offline listening (only playable in-app). Not only that, they can also create playlists of their own and share it with their friends on their social media pages.
In terms of subscription, free users has general access to the service and can get a 30-day free trial to try out premium features before subscribing to the premium plan. On the other hand, RAKU Premium is available at RM14.90 a month via raku.my on Google Play Store, as well as $5.99 a month (about RM22) on the Apple App Store. For Astro customers, they can subscribe to the service at a discounted rate of RM9.90 a month, while Astro SuperPack Plus subscribers are already subscribed to RAKU for free. All they need to do is register for an Astro ID and link it with their Astro account to enjoy the offer.
