Apple Seeds Fourth iOS 8.4 Beta With Revamped Music App to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of iOS 8.4 to registered developers for testing purposes, nearly a month after seeding the third iOS 8.4 beta and almost two months after launching the first iOS 8.4 beta. iOS 8.4 has been in testing since mid-April, following the early April release of iOS 8.3. Today's beta is the third that public beta testers have received.

Today's beta update, build 12H4125a, is available as an over-the-air download and through the iOS Developer Center.

ios_8_4_beta_4
iOS 8.4 beta 4's release notes still include a number of lingering issues with the new Music app that will need to be resolved before the software can be released to the public. Problems include an inability to use Siri with iTunes Radio, issues with AirPlay streaming, a lack of station sharing, and more.

iOS 8.4's major feature is an all-new Music app that includes a revamped look, as seen in the walkthrough video below. The Music app's new design shows pictures of artists in the Artists view and it offers a new MiniPlayer with a redesigned look for "Now Playing." There are personalized playlists, global search capabilities that make it easier to search within the Music app, and a streamlined design for the radio feature to bolster music discovery.


iOS 8.4's redesigned Music app comes ahead of the debut of Apple Music, which was introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference yesterday. The upcoming streaming music service is similar to Apple's existing Beats music service, but it's been renamed and deeply integrated into the Music app.

We will see the public release of both the new music service and iOS 8.4 on June 30.

Tag: iOS 8.4
Related Forum: iOS 8

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Top Rated Comments

flowsy Avatar
139 months ago
Too late! iOS 9 it is! :D
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dwalls90 Avatar
139 months ago
Apple Music is coming on June 30th, which is the release date for 8.4, and also 10.10.4.

8.4 and 10.10.4 GM will probably come the week before, so 6/23, which is two weeks from today, but one week before Apple Music goes public.

Lines up to me.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrPomme Avatar
139 months ago
Music App : Songs and album lists look like the keynote screens (no more white). New fonts maybe ?


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Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DMaki650 Avatar
139 months ago
Would love somebody else to comment on this. Same for me. I signed up for it quite a while ago but have only ever had the mac option...
That's cause Apple has to choose you. Signing up for the iOS beta doesn't guarantee you a spot. If they choose you then they send you an email with a link you go to. Then you download there 'profile' which gives you access to the Public beta.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
magikpersn Avatar
139 months ago
All mentions of iTunes Match seem to be missing.

Instead I see iCloud Music Libary under the Music section in Settings.app.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrPomme Avatar
139 months ago
Another one : Playlists thumbnails now contains four of the covers of albums in the playlist instead of one.

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Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)