Apple’s rivalry with the Android operating system has always been evident, but this year for the first time, Apple has developed a few apps for Android devices. The first one was to transfer data from an Android device to an iPhone, which obviously got rated very poorly by the Android community. The other app is brand new, and it’s a dedicated app for the Apple Music service that was announced back in June. This has been available on other Apple devices for a while, but if you are somewhat invested in the Apple ecosystem and happen to have an Android device, you can take advantage of your subscription on more devices.
The app features different sections in the menu on the left, there’s For You, New, Radio and Connect. Since the app syncs with the music users own on iTunes, including the ones they have saved for offline playback, there’s also a My Music section and Playlists to manage their music more easily. Apple Music offers to get personalized recommendations of songs based on your own taste of music, their exclusive Beats 1 radio station features some of the best songs curated by professionals and famous artists, in addition to getting a chance to listen to interviews and radio shows. Of course, there are many more radio stations that play genre specific music or some related to certain artists. Users can check out what their favorite artists are up to in the Connect section, where they will find photos, music and videos that inspire them.
There’s a 3-month trial period so users can browse their catalog for free, after that period, users will pay $9.99 a month for the service. Although the app works fairly well, it is currently on Beta phase, so minor bugs or issues are expected. They also mention that in this stage, music videos are not yet available and family membership sign-ups and upgrades will have to be done with a device running Mac OS or iOS. The company will have to find something to distinguish themselves from similar services, for example, Google Play Music is supposed to offer better playlist curating as they hire people who don’t put their personal preferences first. Let’s not forget that a subscription for YouTube Red (which costs the same) includes additional services like Play Music Unlimited and YouTube Music.
