On June 30, everyone with an iPhone received the notification that it was time to update their device’s operating system to iOS 8.4, which came with a treat: Apple Music. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the tech giant was officially breaking into the streaming business, along with announcing that a three-month trial would be given to everyone with an Apple ID.
In the subsequent months, many artists have released singles through Apple Music, including Ellie Goulding with “On My Mind” and Pharrell with “Freedom.” With many three-month trials coming to an end, Release put together a list of pros and cons so you can decide if Apple Music is the right service for you.
Pros:
1. Typical of the California company, Apple Music has a wonderful aesthetic. Scrolling through the service proves to be a smooth experience. Their colors are white and an orange-tinted red, a pleasant change from those used to the black and green of Spotify, the monotone blue of Pandora or the grey and mint color of Tidal. If you’re all about the look, Apple Music has you covered.
2. The service’s new radio option brings you to Beats 1, a 24/7 broadcasting manned by several DJs and advertised as “the world’s local radio station.” Artists frequently come onto the radio show to play their music, and some artists have even debuted new tracks through it. Charli XCX released her newest single “Vroom Vroom” on October 20. On August 3, FKA Twigs premiered her record “Figure 8,” before taking the underground music world by storm with the surprise release of her newest EP, “M3LL155X.”
3. Apple Music has recruited an army of celebrity artists to promote its service. Drake’s newest video for “Hotline Bling” dropped this past Monday via Apple Music’s “Connect” tab. Fans are able to see behind-the-scenes videos and blog posts through the tab, an idea first introduced by Tidal. Yet Apple seems to have perfected it, as the “Hotline Bling” video was meme-ified by the Internet only hours after its release.
4. Depending on how attached you still are to “1989,” Spotify still hasn’t gotten Taylor Swift back. It also doesn’t have The Beatles or a non-live version of Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” among some other top picks. We’ll let you decide how much this matters.
Cons:
1. Apple Music severely drains your battery. Although it’s nice to look at, it’s not the most feasible option to have open throughout the day. It seems to use more data than Spotify, and students on the run may get frustrated if they can’t find a place to recharge.
2. Exclusivity, which works for Apple most of the time, seems to be a con, as the app is not available to Android users yet. Not everyone has an iPhone, and the lack of availability to half of the cellular device market is sure to harm them in the long run.
3. Apple Music also only works through the Music app, and since some older devices can’t handle iOS updates, many people without the newest operating system cannot use the streaming service. Also, the app consistently crashes, and the only way for this problem to be fixed is to wait for Apple to issue an iOS patch.
4. Lastly, there is no student discount. Apple Music charges $9.99 for an individual and $14.99 for a family plan of six. Why pay an extra $5 when other services offer the same access to music for a lower price?
Final thoughts: Right now, it’s fine for a certain niche of people, but I will be sticking to Spotify indefinitely. Sure, Apple Music might offer up some fancy new features, but Spotify fulfills all of my needs — and then some — and I will not be making the switch to Apple Music anytime soon.