Plex this week announced changes to its media software that will move the service beyond its video roots. Following updates that added online movie trailers and a recommendation engine, the next version of Plex will bring several new music features that Plex Chief Product Officer Scott Olechowski says will challenge iTunes in the music department.
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As reported by Gigaom and PCMag, Plex users will be able to import their existing iTunes libraries, including playlists, ratings, and smart playlists, into the Plex app using a new one-click import feature. Plex is partnering with music database company Gracenote to add music file recognition and tagging to simplify the organization of this newly imported media.
One a user's music is imported, the service will leverage Gracenote's extensive database to provide Genius-like music recommendations based on a user's personal music collection. Users also will be able to create station-based playlists from a song's selected characteristics such as genre, tempo, or mood.
Plex also is working with Vevo to roll out a premium feature that will match music videos with the songs that are in a user's music library. These Vevo videos will be available to watch without advertisements by Plex Pass subscribers. Plex hopes this new music video option will drive additional users to sign up for its subscription service, which generates about 80 percent of the company's revenue.
The next version of Plex is expected to debut in the coming weeks. Beyond this version, other possible future music features may include music downloads and integration with a music subscription streaming service.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)Plex is pretty great, I just wish AppleTV had a built in App for it (rather than needing to use Airplay from iPhone/iPad)
This is literally the only reason I don't even consider getting an AppleTV. I'm sure I'd love what else it has to offer, but this is a deal-breaker for me that keeps me away.As long as they compete with iTunes in a sense and don't actually become iTunes (i.e a bloated piece of crap).
Here's how to intercept the "trailers" app on AppleTV and turn it into Plex.
^Been doing this for some time, and it admittedly works pretty well. Nothing, though, would beat a native app / channel for Plex for me. They keep adding all of these worthless channels that I immediately hide; why not add a useful one (yeah, yeah, I know Plex is probably seen by Apple as a competitor to iTunes)?
C'mon Apple. Redeem my faith in the AppleTV...