Apple Working on New Beats Music Service Integrated into OS X and iOS, Available on Android

beats-music-app-iosApple is working on a new Beats-based paid music streaming service that will be deeply integrated into iTunes on Mac and the stock Music app for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, according to 9to5Mac. The report claims that the Apple-designed streaming service will also be available for Android and through a new Apple TV app in the works.

"Based heavily upon cloud streaming, Apple’s new service is centered around the user’s music library. A new search feature will be able to locate any song in the iTunes/Beats catalog, and users will be able to stream music from the catalog as well as add songs to their personal libraries. Users will be able to select specific tracks to store on their iOS devices and/or computers, or keep all songs solely in the cloud. Apple will also deeply integrate Beats Music’s Playlists, Activities, and Mixes features into the new service, letting users access a vast array of pre-made, human-curated playlists to fit various activities."

The report adds that Beats Music users will be able to merge their existing account with an iTunes/Apple ID account for seamless transition to the new service. The app's design will shift away from the traditional red and black branding of Beats and feature a user interface that resembles the look and feel of iTunes and the stock Music app on iOS. New social features will also be included for sharing music and playlists with friends.

Apple's new subscription-based service is expected to cost $7.99 per month, cheaper than the $9.99 per month charged by Beats Music and competing services such as Spotify, Rdio and Google Play Music. While the new Beats service will inevitably have some overlap with iTunes Radio, iTunes Match and the iTunes Store, the report claims that Apple will retain all three offerings.

While Beats Music is available for Android, this new service will mark the first time that Apple develops an Android app in house. Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously expressed that he does not have an issue developing an app for Android if the circumstances make sense, but this will be the first time the company actually delivers on that idea. Unlike Beats Music, however, no Windows Phone app will be offered.

Due to some personnel changes and other difficulties in the collaboration between Apple and Beats, which the iPhone maker acquired last year for $3 billion, the timeline for this new streaming service project remains in jeopardy. The report claims that while Apple originally planned to launch the service in March, sources claim that the company is now more likely to launch the service at WWDC in June.

Related Forum: Mac Apps

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
Apple Leak Feature

Apple Leaker Issues Apology: 'Profound and Expensive Mistake'

Friday February 7, 2025 9:21 am PST by
Last year, we reported that Apple sued its former software engineer Andrew Aude for providing journalists with confidential information about the company's future plans, including details about the Journal app, Vision Pro headset, and more. As reported by 9to5Mac, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit after Apple and Aude reached an agreement to resolve...
imac video apple feature

Apple to Announce New Products Next Week

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple has yet to release any new devices in 2025, but at least two new products are expected to be announced next week, according to rumors. Below, we outline the new Apple products that are likely to be unveiled next week. iPhone SE 4 Apple plans to announce the long-rumored iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new iPhone SE is rumored to...

Top Rated Comments

alectheking Avatar
131 months ago
Replacement for iTunes Radio I hope.

It clearly says it isn't. Read the freakin article before trying to be the "first!" commenter.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
131 months ago
"What do we need to improve iTunes?"

MGT: "Add another big bloat, er block of functionality in the form of streaming audio"

CODER: "But we already have iTunes Radio"

MGT: "Yes, keep that... but also weave in this paid version of streaming music too. Customers have spoken and they want to pay for iTunes integrated streaming music AND have free streaming music in the SAME application"

CODER: "What customers want that?"

MGT: "Customers!"

CODER (to other coders after MGT departs the room): "I wonder if those are the same 'customers' that wanted Ping?" Another Coder: "Or want to do away with playlists?" Another Coder: "Or the U2 album pushed into their music collection?"

MGT (to other managers after getting back to the executive mtg room): "We'll roll out a free trial and motivate the masses to upgrade iTunes and iOS player because they must for ongoing iDevice & Mac compatibility. Shortly thereafter we can spin how we have more than 100M users on our new streaming music service."

Other MGT: "Genius!"

Soon after the rollout...

Apple fans in full techgasms: "best streaming service ever!", "shut up and take my money"

Others: "but Spotify", "but Pandora"

Apple fans: "Spotify/Pandora is a joke", "...an abomination", "...I never liked either of them" (so YOU shouldn't either), "hundreds of millions of iDevice and Mac users have voted that Beats is best", (a conjured statistic like) "99.9% will find Beats to be all they ever need in a streaming service"

Others: "but <either> does this better"

Apple fans: "troll", "if you like those so much, why are you here?" and again: "hundreds of millions of iDevice and Mac users have voted that Beats is best" and "99.9%..."

Did I miss anything? ;)
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
QCassidy352 Avatar
131 months ago
The report adds that Beats Music users will be able to merge their existing account with an iTunes/Apple ID account for seamless transition to the new service.

And yet we still can't merge two Apple IDs.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jyax Avatar
131 months ago
So they can make a tool for us to merge a Beats and Apple ID but not one to merge two Apple IDs?

Otherwise excited about this. Beats just isn't doing it for me largely in part to the poor desktop version of the player. If merged into an actual application (even if it is iTunes) I'll almost certainly be switching from Spotify.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tgwaste Avatar
131 months ago
Great, more bloat.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OllyW Avatar
131 months ago
Beats Music by Apple is going to reset consumer expectations of what a true digital music subscription service should be. I predict Spotify and Rdio will cease to exist within 2 years. Beats Music will have the best user experience anywhere. It will have the biggest library of music. And it will set standards that nobody else in this industry will ever come close to matching.

Last March you said iTunes Radio would only need 12 months to beat them. ;)

https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=18868663

Perhaps they can pull their fingers out and release this attempt at streaming in more than two countries, otherwise it will never be a "world leader". :rolleyes:
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)