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Apple Music is blocking rooted Android users in the laziest way possible
An error message in the app states that it is only available on unrooted devices
There are several reasons why you might want to root your Android device. By doing so, you can fully remove bloatware, download Magisk modules to tweak your apps, and improve your battery life through various mods. However, software developers aren’t always willing to play nicely with rooted devices. This seems to be the case when it comes to Apple Music, as some app users are now discovering.
How to listen to Apple Music's lossless tracks on your Android or iPhone
Apple Music supports lossless audio with a bit of work: Here's how to get the best sound around
If you consider yourself an audiophile, you're probably not content with traditional audio streaming services, which lock you into compressed, lossy audio formats playing at 16-bit/44.1kHz. This is CD-quality output, but many audio connoisseurs demand nothing less than lossless audio that plays at least 24-bit/192kHz.
Apple Music wants to make importing Spotify playlists much easier
Some lucky Android users have early access to the feature in the latest Apple Music beta
If you're thinking about switching music streaming services, whether it's for exclusive artists or better features, you don't have to ditch your carefully curated playlists. However, manually rebuilding them could take quite a while, so the best option is to consider an easier route. For example, if you're eyeing the switch from Spotify to Apple Music, you can turn to third-party apps like SongShift to migrate your playlists, although you'll have to log in to your Apple account to complete the transfer. Now, Apple seems to be making that process much easier by making the transfer a native experience within Apple Music.
YouTube Music still needs these crucial features to compete with Spotify and Apple Music
While YouTube Music offers some unique advantages, there are still several key features that it's missing
For music enthusiasts, it's not always about sound quality, even though audiophiles tend to prioritize superior audio fidelity. In search of that perfect unicorn of music streaming apps, it's the overall listening experience that strikes a chord with discerning listeners, and that's something that still feels lacking in YouTube Music.
Apple Music isn't the best streaming music service — it's just the least annoying
Competitors like Spotify and YouTube Music may be your first choice for music on Android, but you might want to reconsider
As someone who pays for far too many music streaming services, allow me to let you in on a little secret. If you're looking at making a choice between Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, there really isn't a right choice to be made. And no, it's not because all three apps — in addition to the countless services that make up smaller portions of the market, like Amazon Music or Deezer — are winners guaranteeing a great user experience. Rather, all three are frustrating in their own unique ways, leading me to discover that, to my absolute surprise, Apple Music takes the cake simply by getting out of its own way.
How to cancel your Apple Music subscription
Looking to switch to Spotify? You'll have to cancel your Apple Music subscription first, and here's how
Apple Music may not always be the top choice for everyone when it comes to music streaming services. It can integrate with Apple products a bit easier, as the infamously walled-off ecosystem makes sure of. Moreover, the sound quality exceeds other streaming services, especially when paired with high-grade wireless headphones.
Apple Music tries to rival Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist
A new feature is rolling out silently on Apple Music
Apple Music and Spotify are widely regarded as some of the best music streaming services around, but they appeal to people for vastly different reasons. The former is a favorite in the audiophile community for CD-quality or lossless audio streaming, while Spotify has a fantastic music recommendation engine and is renowned for its features designed to help you discover new tunes. It turns out Apple was taking notes, and is rolling out a new system of its own to help introduce you to new music.
Apple Music's latest expansion hits the Google Play Store
You just need an Apple Music subscription to get started
A couple of years have passed since Apple acquired Primephonic, a company specializing in curated classical music made available to audiophiles through a subscription. Apple has since leveraged the acquisition as Apple Music Classical, a dedicated app independent of Apple Music. It is finally ready for its debut on Android, a privilege afforded to very few Apple apps.
Apple Music has a new spinoff and it’s coming to Android
Classical-only app is out now for iOS devices
Google typically makes all its apps available on iOS, and sometimes takes things a step further with iPhone-exclusive features we don't have on Android. Apple is the complete opposite, preferring to lock its software within its walled garden and keep the grass looking greener to outsiders — in fact, Apple only has six Android apps in total, one of which is Move to iOS, and the others are all tied directly to Apple products or services. Soon, however, there will be a seventh member of the Apple Android family.
Apple Music's better-looking widgets are now available for everyone
Plus some hints at a new classical music service
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Although it might not be the first choice for die-hard Google users, Apple Music is a pretty solid streaming choice — yes, even on Android. The company's done a great job in implementing platform-exclusive features you won't find on iOS, like robust widgets complete with playback controls. With a new update, Apple Music is making these widgets even better — and a whole lot more colorful.
Weekend poll: Do you use a hi-fi music streaming service?
Or are you sticking with standard quality?
Although it seems like the market has largely settled on a couple of flagship options, there's no shortage of ways to stream your favorite songs these days. Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music — these are just a handful of the apps you can download from the Play Store right now before diving into curated playlists and new releases. If you really want to get the most out of your music library, though, you'll need higher-quality audio. You can always turn to local playback, but if you'd rather stick to streaming, plenty of existing plans deliver precisely that.
How to move from Spotify to another music service like Apple Music or YouTube Music
If you want to for, you know, reasons
For many music fans, signing up for Spotify was likely less of a choice and more of the default app. Not only does its free tier help convert members into future subscribers, but the discovery and social tools on the app are second to none. Of course, Spotify's faced its own fair share of criticism and controversy lately, both in response to its original programming and its payouts to musicians — numbers that, even by the standards set in the age of streaming music, are considered low.
One of the biggest reasons you might want to get yourself a Nest speaker, or any other kind of smart speaker for that matter, is the ability to listen to music without needing to use your phone. With the power of Google Assistant, Nest speakers can easily play music from services like Spotify and YouTube Music. And not too long ago, Apple Music also joined that list. Up until now, however, the service was only supported in a handful of countries, but the list is being expanded today.
Apple Music's latest update delivers lossless and spatial audio for 'compatible devices'
Your playlists have never sounded so crystal clear
Spotify may be the reigning champion of streaming music, but it's far from the only choice. Apple Music is a surprisingly competent app even on Android, and some of its recent additions make it an even better service. In May, Apple added lossless and spatial audio to its service at no additional cost, and with its latest app update, both are finally coming to Android.
Apple Music just changed everyone else's plans for lossless audio
Apple's hi-fi tier arrives next month for all users, along with support for Dolby Atmos
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Lossless audio seems to be the next significant advancement in music streaming. Amazon has been offering a high-quality plan since 2019, and in February, Spotify announced a new HiFi plan to launch later this year. Leave it to Apple to shake up the entire ecosystem with its announcement of lossless audio. Starting next month, all Apple Music subscribers will gain access to improved audio quality along with select Dolby Atmos tracks at no extra cost.We already knew that a lossless tier was on the horizon for Apple Music, thanks to recent leaks from both iOS 14.6 and the latest beta version of the Android app. Launching it at no additional cost to subscribers, however, is an unexpected and game-changing move. More than 75 million songs will be available in lossless audio, which should cover nearly every song on the service. High-fidelity tracks will only be available to subscribers; you're still limited to standard quality when purchasing songs or albums through the iTunes store.
Apple Music's latest beta brings artwork to life and hints at lossless audio
Apple's HiFi streaming tier could launch next Tuesday
It's only been a few weeks since the latest version of Apple Music hit the Play Store, bringing along sharable music lyrics and the ability to search by record label. Apple isn't finished adding new features to the Android version of its streaming app, though. The latest beta release adds some flare to album and playlist artwork, all while hinting at an upcoming boost in sound quality.
Apple Music now lets you annoy your friends with song lyrics
In version 3.5 you can also search by record label, if that's your Def Jam
For all that we've heard of Apple intentionally keeping Android out of its walled garden, the Apple Music streaming service seems to be a notable exception. Version 3.5 of the app is now rolling out to Android devices on the Play Store with a few interesting additions to its featureset.
These are the best replacements for Play Music's upload library
Spoiler alert: None of them replicate Play Music's feature set 1:1
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Google killed Play Music in October 2020, a service many people loved for one feature in particular: its online music file locker with uploaded songs that seamlessly integrated with Play Music's streaming catalog. You could also just add titles you own and listen to them without ever having to pay a dime. Luckily, there are a few alternatives that replicate some of Play Music's capabilities, including its successor YouTube Music.
Apple Music now available on Google Assistant smart speakers
It's the fifth music service to be fully supported on Assistant devices
You can already play any content with Chromecast support on Google Assistant smart speakers, like the Nest Audio or Lenovo Smart Clock Essential, but you need a phone or tablet nearby to start the process. Some services offer full integration with Assistant, allowing you to ask for specific artists or songs using only your speaker, and now Apple Music is joining in.
Apple Music 3.4 now rolling out to everyone, with iOS 14 features in tow (APK Download)
New icon, new Listen Now section, autoplay, new search, and so much more
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Apple is preparing to launch iOS 14, and that means there are updates incoming for all of its system apps, including Music. It looks like the company is working on bringing over these latest changes to Android as soon as possible, as the latest Apple Music beta v3.4 already sports almost all of the new stuff that will come to iOS 14: there's a new icon, improved search, autoplay, and Listen Now, which replaces the For You section of old.