Looks like Apple Music, the big kahuna, has finally been announced. What was said to offer artists more control over what they share is finally official at this year’s WWDC 2015. It looks like Apple wants to change the way music services work, where it is a whole lot more than just delivering the right tunes to customers as Apple touches on supporting artists, including the smaller fish in the pond. Having said that, there will be a round-the-clock music/radio service, and right smack in the heart of Apple Music would be Connect, a place where artists will be able to share their work with fans – and by work, I mean photos apart from music and unreleased tracks.
This would definitely add a far more personal touch than ever before, and thanks to the Internet, barriers that used to be there between artists and fans can be broken down, or even become transparent. In other words, Apple Music would be a curated streaming service in addition to providing an avenue for users to download more material from the artist. Some might see certain aspects that are similar to that of Spotify, but make no mistake about it,they are very different creatures entirely.
As for the 24/7 global radio known as Beats 1, it will be broadcast from a trio of cities, where all music there will be programmed by real humans, and will not be the handiwork of an algorithm that is hastily put up by a machine or computer. You will be able to see some of iTunes’ DNA in Apple Music, including “Up Next” and “Recently Added”. As for “For You”, it happens to be a stream of items that Apple Music would like to recommend. In terms of the artist connection service, that will be known as Connect.
All in all, your music experience is about to get smarter and more “human”, so to speak, thanks to Apple Music. It is nice to see incremental yet fundamental steps being taken in the right direction when it comes to “humanizing” the digital experience.
Beyond the glitz of the launch, Apple Music has a lot in common with other music services that offer unlimited streaming, live radio (although machine-driven) and artists updates. The biggest difference is that Apple Music would let (any) artists upload content and animate a home base… not unlike what MySpace did back in the days… Star Power could make a noticeable difference, and the sheer size of Apple’s installed based should be a powerful enticement to contribute.
Apple Music will launch in more than 100 countries later this June, and will require iOS 8.4 at the very least. There will also be a new version of iTunes for Mac and Windows, while Android is arriving later in the fall. The first three months of Apple Music will be free, and you can pick the $14.99 monthly tab for up to half a dozen family members after that.
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