Can you play a music in Apple Music with and Android?
Since its launch in June 2015, Apple Music has grown to become one of the most popular music streaming services, with over 60 million subscribers as of June 2019. Originally available only on iOS devices, Apple Music expanded to Android in November 2015, allowing Android smartphone users to also access Apple’s library of over 50 million songs.
While Android users cannot enjoy full integration with the Apple ecosystem, the Apple Music app provides the core functionality of the service – streaming curated playlists, radio stations, music videos and access to a subscriber’s personal library. The Android version brings Apple Music out from the confines of the Apple world, opening up its vast catalog to the billions of Android users globally.
Accessing Apple Music on Android
Apple Music is available on Android devices through the official Apple Music app. To get Apple Music on an Android phone or tablet, users simply need to:
- Go to the Google Play Store on their Android device.
- Search for “Apple Music” and download the official app.
- Open the app and log in using their Apple ID.
The Apple Music app requires Android 5.0 or later. It also requires a subscription to Apple Music, which costs $9.99 per month for individual memberships. There is no free, ad-supported tier of Apple Music for Android users.
Once downloaded and logged in, the Apple Music app provides Android users with access to over 90 million songs, thousands of playlists, music videos, live streams, and more. The library, recommendations, and functionality mirror the Apple Music experience on iOS.
However, some features like Spatial Audio and lossless audio are not available in the Android app. Lyrics are also not viewable within the app. Additionally, the app lacks deeper integration and controls compared to Apple Music on iPhone. But core playback, library management, and streaming work the same.
Apple Music Subscription
Android users have the full range of Apple Music subscription options available to them. The standard individual plan is $9.99 per month after a one month free trial period. There is also a discounted student plan for $4.99 per month and a family plan that allows sharing with up to 6 users for $14.99 per month.
The family plan is fully available to Android users, allowing them to share their Apple Music subscription with other family members using iOS or Android devices. Family plan members can all access the full Apple Music library and download content independently.
For those looking for the best value, Apple Music also offers an annual individual subscription for $99 per year, which breaks down to $8.25 per month. This can be a great way for Android users to save a bit on their Apple Music subscription over time.
Apple Music Library Access
One of the main benefits of using Apple Music on Android is the ability to access the full Apple Music catalog of over 90 million songs (Apple. 2022). This gives Android users access to the same massive music library as iOS users. Users can browse or search for music by genre, artist, albums, playlists and more.
Apple Music also allows Android users to download songs, albums or playlists for offline listening (Apple. 2022). This is useful for situations when you don’t have an internet connection, like plane rides or being outside of cell service. Downloaded Apple Music works just like it does on iOS – users can listen to music offline as much as they want. The only limitation is that offline downloads expire after 30 days if you don’t reconnect to the internet.
Sources:
Apple. 2022. Use Apple Music with your Android devices. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210412
Curated Playlists
One of the major benefits of Apple Music is access to expertly curated playlists based on genres, activities, moods, and more. Apple employs dedicated music experts to hand-pick tracks for playlists like Today’s Hits, Rap Life, Pop Hits, Country Heat, and many others (Apple Support, 2023). These human-curated playlists are available to Android users, providing a great way to discover new music tailored to your tastes.
In addition to human curation, Apple Music also generates personalized playlist recommendations for each user based on their listening history and preferences. The “For You” section provides a mix of algorithmic playlists like My Chill Mix, My Favorites Mix, and Get Up! Mix, along with human curation. According to Apple, their hybrid approach combines “algorithmic insights with human curation so you can discover new music you’ll love” (Apple Support, 2023).
This blend of human expertise and algorithmic personalization is a key benefit of Apple Music that Android users can take advantage of. With constantly updated playlists based on the latest music trends and your individual taste, Apple Music on Android can expand your musical horizons.
Integration with iOS Devices
One of the key benefits of Apple Music is the ability to seamlessly sync your music library and playlists across iOS devices and Android. The service supports Handoff, allowing you to automatically continue playback of songs, albums, and playlists between devices signed into the same Apple ID.
For example, you can start listening to an album on your iPhone, then pick up right where you left off on your Android phone or tablet. It uses iCloud to sync your library, playlists, and listening history between platforms.
“Handoff worked flawlessly moving music listening from my iPhone to my Android tablet.” – User review on Apple discussions forum
This integration makes Apple Music much more convenient for users with an iPhone as well as Android devices. You don’t have to recreate playlists or re-download music. Your Apple Music experience is consistent regardless of which device you’re on.
Audio and Video Content
Apple Music provides subscribers with access to an extensive library of audio and video content beyond just music tracks. This includes a wide selection of music videos, concert films, and original artist documentary content.
The Apple Music app for Android allows you to stream over 50 million music videos, providing the visuals to accompany your favorite songs (Source). From classic videos to the latest releases, you can watch high-quality music videos fully within the Android app.
Additionally, Apple Music offers subscribers an ever-growing catalog of concert films and documentaries focused on popular artists and bands. You can stream full concert films from top tours, as well as original documentary films profiling musicians like Billie Eilish, The Beastie Boys, Bruce Springsteen, and Taylor Swift (Source). These provide in-depth looks at artists through interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and more.
Overall, the access to music videos, concert films, and documentaries allows Android users to fully experience the breadth of content available through an Apple Music subscription.
Limits of Android Experience
While Apple Music is available on Android devices, there are some limitations compared to using it on iOS. One major missing feature is spatial audio support. Spatial audio provides an immersive listening experience by simulating directional audio playback. However, spatial audio is not currently available when using Apple Music on Android (source).
Another limitation is lossless audio quality. Apple Music offers lossless audio up to 24-bit/48 kHz on Android devices. However, lossless audio up to 24-bit/192 kHz is only available when using Apple Music on iOS and Mac devices (source). So Android users don’t get access to the highest quality lossless streaming offered by Apple Music.
Additionally, Apple Music on Android lacks integration with Siri. On iOS devices, Siri can be used to search for songs, play music, add songs to the library, and control playback. But these Siri features are not available when using the Apple Music app on Android. Users have to rely on manual searches and taps to control music playback.
Overall, while Apple Music is usable on Android, it lacks some key features like spatial audio, highest-quality lossless playback, and Siri integration compared to the iOS experience. Android users have a more limited subset of Apple Music capabilities.
Comparison to Spotify, YouTube Music
Apple Music on Android offers competitive features compared to other top music streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music. While Spotify is known for its vast catalog of over 70 million songs and highly personalized recommendations, Apple Music arguably provides a richer music discovery experience with human expert-curated playlists and radio stations (Apple Music vs Spotify). Apple Music’s integration with Siri also enables hands-free voice control on Android.
Compared to YouTube Music, Apple Music may have a smaller catalog of around 60 million songs but provides a more immersive, album-focused listening experience. YouTube Music is oriented more towards individual songs and music videos. Apple Music also offers lossless audio quality whereas YouTube Music maxes out at 256kbps (Apple Music vs Spotify on Android Device?). Ultimately, Apple Music holds its own against competitors by leveraging unique iOS integrations, human-curated playlists, and premium audio quality.
Summary
Using Apple Music on an Android device has its benefits and limitations. The major benefit is you can access your full Apple Music library, including any songs, albums or playlists you’ve added. You also get Apple’s expertly curated playlists across many genres. However, the Apple Music app isn’t as fully featured on Android as it is on iOS. You don’t have access to iTunes extras like music videos, and there’s no Android Auto support. While the core music playback works well, the Android experience feels a bit limited compared to iOS.
Overall, an Apple Music subscription can work for Android users who want to access their personal library and playlists across devices. But Android users may want to also consider streaming services like Spotify or YouTube Music that offer a more seamless experience on Android. It comes down to which service has the music library you want and the features that fit your listening preferences.
