In the current era dominated by music streaming services, Apple Music shines as a top-tier platform for music aficionados looking for a comprehensive and immersive listening experience. While falling slightly behind Spotify in user count, Apple Music has carved out a significant presence in the digital music realm, providing access to over 100 million songs, hand-curated playlists, and exclusive content. Whether you are a dedicated music fan or someone who enjoys tunes on the go, Apple Music offers a holistic solution to cater to all your auditory needs.
This post delves into what makes Apple Music unique, highlighting its features, benefits, and comparisons with other major streaming services in the industry.
The Basics
Apple Music is also available as part of an Apple One bundle, which includes additional Apple products like Apple Arcade, Apple TV Plus, and Apple Fitness Plus.
The Music
Apple Music boasts a catalog of over 100 million tracks, all in the AAC format. While AAC provides good quality, it is not considered hi-res or lossless. However, as of 2021, Apple has encoded its entire music library using the Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC), ranging from CD-quality to 24-bit/192kHz, offered at no extra cost to subscribers. Additionally, a significant portion of the library has been remastered for Dolby Atmos. Streaming lossless audio will require more data and storage space, with optimization tips for the best listening experience.
Other music services like Deezer, Tidal, and Amazon Music emphasize high-quality audio in FLAC formats, claiming superiority over AAC. Although Spotify is considering a lossless tier, no concrete developments have been made. Apple Music also features curated playlists, 24/7 live radio stations, and an adaptation of iTunes Match for cloud storage of up to 100,000 songs.
Getting Started
Signing up for Apple Music is easy through the Music app on iOS devices, Mac, PC, or from music.apple.com. Android users can access Apple Music via the Android app. Follow the instructions to set up an account based on your preferences. For tvOS devices, the Music app provides access to Apple Music streaming.
It’s advisable to keep track of the auto-renewal after the trial period, unless Apple’s offerings exceed your expectations.
Five Ways to Play
More Ways to Listen
Apple Music offers wide compatibility beyond iPhones, seamlessly integrating across the Apple ecosystem. It works with iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, Apple TVs, HomePods, and CarPlay. PC users can access it via iTunes, and it’s compatible with Sonos and Amazon Echo smart speakers. The Android version supports streaming to Chromecast devices. Apple Music delivers a similar experience to Spotify and Pandora with unique features that set it apart. To determine if it suits you, take advantage of the three-month free trial and experience it firsthand.