Please, please, please let my charge last all day. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
We’ve had a couple days to check out Apple Music, Apple’s song-streaming platform that launched Tuesday. It comes loaded with 30 million songs that you can listen to on demand with a quick search or a request to Siri.
But all that choice and tech power may come at a price, as some users are reporting that the new Music app is killing their iPhone’s battery life.
Apple has a bold new program, according to Jimmy Kimmel Live. Photo: Jimmy Kimmel Live
Apple has no shortage of products and gadgets to show off lately. The company recently released the Apple Watch, its music streaming platform came out this week, and we’re closing in on the reveal of the next iPhone.
But late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has a line on another daring product from Apple, and he revealed it in a bit on his show on Tuesday. It involves customers just giving Apple money for no real reason.
You can check out the full gag in the video below.
The artist currently known as Prince has pulled all of his music from streaming services, except for one: Jay Z’s Tidal, which reputedly has the best terms for mega artists like the Purple Rain lead.
Turns out that doves will cry after all, since they can’t listen to Prince on Apple Music or Spotify.
Did Apple remove Home Sharing from iOS so you'd have to try Apple Music? Screen: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
If you’ve upgraded your iPhone or iPad to iOS 8.4 in order to take advantage of the insanely great Apple Music, you won’t be able to use Home Sharing to play the iTunes music from your Mac via your iOS device any more.
Several fans took to the Apple discussion pages to note that Home Sharing is no longer accessible on their mobile devices, killing their media setups.
“Before today,” writes forum user ddrucker, “I could bring up the entire library on my iPhone/iPad and play it through my earphones.”
Apple Music streams music bleep-free unless you take some action. Photo: Wikipedia
Apple Music is the latest way to stream a ridiculous number of tunes on demand. And with all that variety, you’re going to get some cursing in there. It’s just how a lot of musicians work.
But if you don’t want to hear all of those bleepables and swears, it’s a pretty quick fix to keep it from showing up in your stream. Here’s how to do it.
Taylor Swift's '1989' album is finally available for streaming, so I was all ears. Photo: GabboT/Flickr CC
No one has shut up about this album since it came out in October 2014. Taylor Swift’s “1989” sold over a million copies in the first week alone and continues to sell well even today, largely due to the fact that it was previously nowhere to be found on streaming services. That is until Apple Music launched and Swift suddenly had a change of heart.
Still, since everyone I know buzzed about this album and the media certainly buzzed about it given the Spotify melodrama, I had to give it a listen. I didn’t want to buy it because I truly didn’t care that much, but I cared enough to listen if I was already paying for a streaming subscription. Now that I’m officially an Apple Music member, I got to stream “1989” in its entirety while I was cooking my lunch.
Taylor Swift fans aren’t the only ones with reasons to celebrate Apple Music.
Apple’s new streaming service boasts over 30 million songs. That’s according to the company, anyway; we definitely haven’t counted them. And even though it’s only a day old, it’s looking like it could have a chance to cut into the business of rival streamers like Spotify. And part of how it’s doing that is by landing content for its library that the other people don’t have.
Here are five albums Apple Music can brag about. Other than 1989, we mean. Because everyone knows 1989 is on there.
Tim Cook talks Apple Music at WWDC 2015. Photo: Apple
Apple Music, the new song-streaming platform that started rolling out yesterday, is currently free for everyone while the company shows off how cool its new product is. After the three-month trial period that we’re all enjoying, however, using the full set of features will cost you.
But for people in developing countries, the burn won’t be nearly as bad.
If you’re a wannabe Apple Music customer, but currently running the iOS 9 beta, have no fear — since Eddy Cue has confirmed via Twitter that a new beta seed is on the way, offering compatibility with Apple’s newly-launched streaming music service.
Cue didn’t give a precise timeframe, but did note that it would be, “early next week.” Apple’s most recent iOS 9 beta on June 23. Since the company typically releases new beta seeds at fortnightly intervals, it would make sense if the next one arrives next Tuesday.
iTunes 12.2: Coming sometime that isn't right now when you need it. Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac
If you’ve been playing around with Apple Music on your iPhone or iPad today, you might have wondered at some point what it’s like to listen to on your desktop computer.
You’ll have to keep wondering, though, because the iTunes update you need to listen to Apple Music isn’t out yet.
Beats 1 Radio is live on Apple Music, but is it worth your time? Photo: Apple
Open your iOS 8.4 Music app and start listening. Beats 1 radio went live today at 9 a.m. Pacific time or 12 p.m. Eastern time, one hour after the launch of Apple Music itself. But is it any good? I’m your fellow music lover here to answer that question in as much depth as possible based on some first impressions.
First, a little background: Apple’s own radio station billed as “programs from people who love music” will stay live 24/7, broadcasting in over 100 countries. The station promises interviews with A-list celebrities and even radio shows hosted by the celebrities themselves every so often. They’ll create their own playlists and mixes and broadcast some of their favorite tunes. Jaden Smith will have his own show, so prepare to have an existential crisis.
Add your unique username for Apple Music Connect before someone else snags it. Screen: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
When you sign in to Apple Music, you have access to Apple’s new music-centric sharing and socializing system, Connect.
While Ping may have come to an an ignominious end, Connect has the advantage of being integrated into the new, exciting Apple Music to the very core, and will let everyone signed into an Apple ID account (not just Apple Music members) use the system to follow their favorite artist.
When you comment on a Connect post, though, you’ll be known by a user name, which uses the @ symbol just like Twitter.
If you want to have something unique, though, you’ll need to act quickly and enter it now, before the service gets clogged up with all the other people that might want your specific user name. Here’s how to do just that.
Some things are missing from this picture. Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac
Apple Music launched today, and so far people seem pretty happy with the new platform. But that isn’t to say that we haven’t found a few complaints to pick out.
We don’t like the new app icon, for one. And some of us are having trouble finding the music we own mixed in with all the streaming stuff. But probably the biggest issue we — and a reader or two — have had concerns the taste-selection screen when you first set up Apple Music.
Here are some of the important bubbles we couldn’t find when we first opened the new app.
You'll still get your three months, just not charged for the fourth automatically. Screen: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
So, you’ve gotten the three month trial subscription for Apple Music, right? How exciting!
Chances are, you’ll forget all about it and, whether you love the service or not, you’ll get auto-charged in September for the $10 to $15 you chose when you signed up for your Apple Music subscription.
If you want to make sure that you aren’t automatically charged again, here’s how to turn that function off.
Excitement for Apple Music came with an enthusiastic farewell to Spotify for some on Twitter. Photo: Twitter
Two minutes after Apple Music launched Tuesday, Hans Metzke was listening to it on his device. He hit pause on his excitement to send out this Tweet: “And we’re live! Awesome! Bye Spotify.”
Apple Music users immediately took to social media to sing the praises of Apple’s new music streaming service. At the same time, many were saying farewell to music streaming’s current king, Spotify.
Whether Apple Music, which is currently free for the three months, will usurp Spotify or the other big player, Pandora, remains to be seen.
Discover stuff large and small with Apple's new Music service. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
I’m a streaming music junky. I gave up collecting, owning, and maintaining music files on my own Mac years ago and I’ve never looked back. It’s the only sensible way to have access to millions of songs without having to worry about storing them.
I’ve used and tested Rdio, Spotify, Beats Music, and other on-demand streaming services over the past few years, so it made sense to check out Apple Music, the new on-demand service to come out of Cupertino.
It’s going to take some time to dig in deep, but so far, Apple Music is proving to be an amazingly comprehensive streaming music product that focuses on discovery, something that the competition struggles with. Within minutes of downloading iOS 8.4, I’m already listening to a playlist of artists I know as well as those I don’t – a perfect blend of old and new.
I’ve found a new streaming service to love in Apple Music, and I think you will, too.
Jimmy Iovine talks up Apple Music at WWDC 2015. Photo: Apple
After months of speculation, Apple Music has officially launched — with the Beats 1 radio station also kicking off one hour from now at 12pm ET/9am PT.
Apple Music, which received positive first-look reviews earlier today, is initially available for a free three-month trial, after which it will set users back $9.99 per month — or $14.99 if you want to share with up to six members of your family.
An Irish newspaper said no thanks to signing Taylor Swift's photo agreement.
One of Ireland’s largest newspapers told readers Tuesday morning not to expect any photos of Taylor Swift performing during her two sold-out concerts in Dublin.
The Irish Times passed on photographing her shows because of a restrictive contract Swift’s people ask shooters to sign. The contract gives the photographer a “one-time-only” use on the photos yet allows Swift unlimited rights to use the images for publicity and promotion.
Such contracts by entertainment figures are nothing new, except Swift famously called out Apple for initially withholding royalties to musicians during the free three-month trial period of the new Apple Music service.
Apple Music sounds like a game changer. Photo: Apple
Apple Music is set to launch at 11am ET/8am PT today, alongside the release of iOS 8.4. As we count down the minutes, however, we can entertain ourselves with the first batch of “early impression” reviews for Apple’s new streaming music service.
Has Apple done it again? With minor quibbles, the answer certainly seems to be a resounding “yes.” Check out some of the review highlights below:
All of your questions and answers ahead of Apple Music's big debut. Photo: Apple
Apple Music makes its big debut tomorrow, June 30, at 8 a.m. PST. It’s going to be a very big day for the music industry, and for us listeners. It’s the day streaming goes truly mainstream. From tomorrow on, it’s officially the streaming era.
But how does it work? What artists are going to be available? You probably have a lot of questions about what Apple Music’s launch means for you — and we’ve got answers.
Soon you'll be able to blast Apple Music through your Sonos speakers. Photo: Sonos
There’s good news and bad news for Beats Music and future Apple Music users alike. Apple has confirmed that the new music service will arrive for Sonos apps and speakers, but unfortunately not right away. It turns out integration won’t be ready in time for the big launch tomorrow, June 30, but the two companies are working together to bring Apple Music to Sonos as soon as possible.
iTunes Match is getting a big upgrade from its early days. Photo: Apple
With one day to go until Apple Music officially launches with iOS 8.4, Eddy Cue has revealed that Music’s iTunes Match integration will soon let users upload 100,000 of their own songs to iCloud for streaming at any time.
Apple last week unveiled its Beats 1 billboard at New York's Times Square. Photo: Zane Lowe/Twitter
Apple Music is set to launch at 11am ET/8am PT tomorrow alongside the release of iOS 8.4 One hour later at 12pm ET/9am PT, the inaugural Beats 1 radio broadcast will take place presented by DJ Zane Lowe.
While we previously knew that Apple’s new streaming music service would by launching June 30, it was left to Ian Rogers, Apple’s senior director of Apple Music to announce an exact time, which he did over the weekend.
Taylor powers into Apple like no one else. Cover: Stephen Smith
Another week flying by here at Cult of Mac headquarters, and we’ve got a ton of great stories to share with you in the latest issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.
Taylor Swift made waves with her calling out the Cupertino company’s plans to not pay artists for music streamed during upcoming Apple Music free trial period, and we’ve got all the details within. Plus, we take a look at Amazon’s new home hub, the Echo, spend some time trawling the patent office for new Apple gear coming our way, and take a quick tour of the latest iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan betas for developers.
All that and more in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine. Be sure to download and subscribe to check it all out on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Spotify has increased its free trial for users outside the U.S. Photo: Spotify
Apple Music’s launch is just days away, and Spotify is already running to catch up to the free trial Apple thinks will convince you to become a paying customer.
In an attempt to match Apple’s controversial three-month free trial period, Spotify announced that it will extend its Premium free trials from 30 days to 60 its days, but only if you’re outside the U.S.