Apple Music has continued to grow steadily since its launch in June 2015. It's a streaming service loved by many Apple users because it's easy to sync across multiple Apple devices.
But you may be wondering how powerful Apple Music is compared to other streaming services. Is Apple Music a service worth 980 yen per month?
Now let's answer a lot of questions about Apple Music in detail. If you're wondering, use Apple Music as a starting point.
What is Apple Music?
Apple Music is a music distribution service provided by Apple. As a member, you will be able to access a myriad of content for a fixed fee. With over 90 million songs, you can listen to them online or download them to your device and enjoy them offline.
Given Apple's slow entry into the streaming market, Apple Music has come a long way. Official figures haven't been released, but Apple Music's membership seems to have surpassed 523 million by the end of 2021.
According to Midia Research, Apple Music's market share in 2021 was 15%. By the way, Spotify ranked first in the same year, accounting for 31% of the global market for streaming services.
What kind of service is it?
Apple Music's services consist of subscription-based music distribution and global radio-style programming. As a member, you will have free access to Apple Music's song library of 90 million songs.
Plus, you can enjoy music videos without ads, as well as (albeit a few) podcasts, carefully selected playlists by Apple Music, and Apple Music's original radio.
The main radio service "Apple Music 1" broadcasts live performances by DJs from Los Angeles, New York, and London 24 hours a day, all over the world.
There are also "Apple Music Hits" where you can enjoy hit songs from the 80's, 90's and 2000's, and "Apple Music Country" which specializes in country music.
Which devices are available?
Apple Music is available in the Music app on all iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch models if you have iOS 8.4 or later installed. In addition to these, you can also watch on Mac ("Music" app), Apple TV, and Apple Watch.
In addition to Apple products, it can be used on Windows PCs ("iTunes" apps), Android smartphones, smart TVs, streaming boxes, game consoles, etc. You can also enjoy it online by visiting music.apple.com.
There are two ways to use Apple Music. You can either stream the content directly from the net or download it to your device and listen offline.
For those who are worried about data usage or who are often in places where wireless connections are not stable, it's great to have fun offline. However, this can also be a bit tricky when your device is low on storage.
Like other streaming services, music files downloaded from Apple Music are not saved on your device. As a result, it is not possible to move music files elsewhere, save them to disc, or use them for individual video projects. Besides, if you cancel your use of Apple Music, you will not be able to access your library.
What are your strengths?
Apple Music is available on a variety of platforms, including Android. But perhaps the biggest advantage is that the service is built into Apple's ecosystem. This means you can easily listen to your collection on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or even your Apple Watch.
Not only that. Apple Music also has a high quality audio playback feature for audiophiles. For those who want to enjoy high quality streaming, "Lossless", "High res lossless", "Dolby Atmos" and "Spatial audio" were introduced in June 2021 respectively.
In addition to your personal music library, a mix of old and new tracks and three live radio stations enhance your collection experience. You can even watch TV shows, podcasts, music videos, and over 30,000 carefully selected playlists.
What are the disadvantages?
Apple Music's biggest rival, Spotify, also offers a stable streaming experience. The main drawback of Apple Music is that there is no free version. Spotify, on the other hand, has ads, but a free version.
In addition, Spotify has a larger library than Apple Music, and it has a better sense of unity with social media. But when it comes to unity with Apple's ecosystem, Apple Music is better off. The content library is getting bigger and bigger every day.
You can also enjoy podcasts on Apple Music, but the number is quite small. So if you want to listen to podcasts, I recommend Apple Podcasts. This one has a much larger library and is well organized.
Prices?
Apple Music offers a variety of subscription-based plans to suit your needs. The basic "individual" plan is 980 yen per month. It's about the same as "Spotify Premium" (980 yen) and "TIDAL HiFi" ($ 9.99).
The "individual" plan can be paid annually and costs 9800 yen. In addition to the "Individual" plan, there is a "Student" plan with a monthly fee of 480 yen and a "Family" plan with a monthly fee of 1480 yen that can be used by up to 6 people.
In addition, there is a "Voice" plan that can be used for 480 yen per month, but there are some caveats. With the "Voice" plan, you can't request songs using any method other than Siri, and you can only use streaming. You can't use the "Music" app, you can't download songs or view lyrics. The "Lossless" audio and "Dolby Atmos" catalogs are also not fully accessible.
Is there a free trial?
Apple Music usually offers a three-month free trial period for those who want to try it out. At the end of this trial period, you will be charged for all plans. There is no way to keep using Apple Music for free, but there are many ways to extend the free period.
With a free trial period, Apple Music can give you a try before deciding whether to continue as a member. If you're not convinced, it's easy to cancel, so it's okay to cancel before the trial period ends.
Who is good for Apple Music?
The days of listening to music on CDs are a thing of the past. The era of digital music streaming has arrived. There are many options for streaming services, and Apple Music is definitely a good candidate.
If you have an Apple device and are looking for a streaming service that suits your needs, give Apple Music a try.
You will surely feel the ease of use that is unique to Apple, which is studded here and there. However, once you step into Apple's ecosystem, you may end up stuck there.
Image: Shutterstock / Source: MIDIA, music.apple.com
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