A good rival to Android music apps!
Until a few years ago, Apple didn’t seem to acknowledge the importance of Android users. In the company’s first Android app, there was the possibility of migrating to iOS. After realizing the growing user base, Apple finally released Apple Music for Android. Post a lackluster launch and several updates, the app may now be considered a worthy rival to music apps on the platform.
Listen to your favorite music at anytime, anywhere!
A powerful streaming app with focus on music discovery.
Apple Music for Android was launched in 2015. For a long time, the app provided minimal access to the company’s flagship music streaming service. In the first look, it didn’t seem interested in letting Android users enjoy the service. Over time, things have changed, and Apple Music has received several updates to become a popular music streaming service.
Currently, Apple Music allows you to stream audio on Chromecast and various cast-compatible devices. It’s a major advantage for Android users, who can’t rely on AirPlay for streaming music to audio equipment and supported speakers.
For some time, several features had been in beta. Recently, Apple introduced the ‘dark mode’ and ‘live lyrics’, earning praise from fans around the world. Since Apple has stopped accepting new beta testers for Android, the introduction of these features is definitely a good sign.
Focus on discovery
With over 60 million songs in the Apple Music Library, you’ll be spoilt for choices. Though the platform doesn’t support the entire iTunes catalog, it keeps growing at a steady pace. In fact, Apple Music has done a good job of matching Spotify and YouTube Music’s standards to give some tough competition.
If you have some music in a personal library that can’t be streamed, you can simply upload it to iCloud, which integrates it with other tracks natively available.
Easy to set up and explore
With Apple Music, the company has retained the simple and clean interface of iTunes service. You navigate in primary areas using icons at the bottom of the app. ‘Music’ has been designed to learn your preferences to suggest new albums, bands, and curated playlists. It doesn’t feel like a passive jukebox in your Android device.
With the ‘For You’ section, Apple Music populates recommendations based on your preferences. It could be an old favorite or a new track Apple thinks you’d like. The ‘New’ section, as the name suggests, provides music from new releases, bands, top charts, and genre-specific options.
The ‘Radio’ section is one of the most powerful features in the Apple Music app. With global stations, you can enjoy a wide range of genres, artists, and tracks. For instance, ‘Beats 1’ is a 24-hour roster of popular DJs playing new music from different genres.
Enjoy the social connect
With the ‘Connect’ feature, Apple aims to focus on the social aspect of your music choices. Like Instagram and Twitter, Apple Music allows you to follow individual curators, artists, and bands. You get a personalized feed with updates from the channels or people you’re following. While it’s a good idea, Spotify’s playlist community still feels way more alive and engaging.
Where can you run this program?
Apple Music is compatible with Android devices running on Android 5.0 and above. You can also use Apple Music on a Chromebook supporting Android apps.
Is there a better alternative?
While Apple Music is a good choice, you might be looking for a few alternatives on your Android device. Spotify, one of the most popular music streaming services, is a worthy opponent. It allows you to play artists, albums, and songs from around the world. Spotify’s personalized recommendations and a community-like setting are unmatched. However, the app lacks the ‘live lyrics’ feature and the price is higher than Apple Music.
Another good alternative is YouTube Music. It allows people to discover music with recommendations and playlists based on location, time of day, tastes, what’s trending, and other considerations. Additionally, YouTube Music lets you search for live performances and music by lyrics. The only problem is that the free version shows too many ads, disrupting user experience.
Our take
With the recent updates, Apple Music is on par with rival music apps like Spotify and YouTube Music. While it still needs to get better in areas like personalization and social connect, if you’re not much interested in using advanced features, Apple Music will be a good choice.
Should you download it?
Yes, definitely! While Apple Music isn’t perfect, it still does a good job of providing a huge catalog with plenty of features. Additionally, the focus on music discovery allows you to explore global and independent artists, tracks, and playlists. Empowered by the global radio stations available round-the-clock, Apple Music is an excellent choice for every music lover.
