Once again, it’s that time of the year where Apple users struggle to refrain from getting too excited with the imminent release of the latest operating system update 8.4 which arrives with the now infamous Apple Music today.
The update landed a little earlier than previous updates at 8 am Pacific time or 4 pm in the UK. Early downloaders were able to soak up tunes on the Apple’s Beats 1 radio station that began streaming an hour later with Zane Lowe on the wheels of steel who was getting frustrated with a few teething issues.
People on iPhones in offices throughout the world frantically repeated the process of heading to "General" in their device settings, and clicking "Software Update" until someone excitedly shouts out “It’s downloading” like they had just discovered a Willy Wonka's golden ticket.
Inevitably the problem of millions of people attempting to upgrade their device from Apple servers at the same time can cause a few issues or delays. If you run into any status messages advising of several hours remaining of a 30-minute upgrade, I would recommend waiting until the madness has slowed down.
Most cord cutter's would love to see the back of the clunky and needy iTunes that constantly requires updating. The launch today exacerbated these feelings as eager users found themselves caught in a loop of despair.
The IOS 8.4 update itself is likely to feature a few enhancements or bug fixes such as an issue that currently causes the messaging app to stop working or require a restart of the device, but nothing to get too excited about.
However, all eyes will be on the new Music app, iTunes Radio and Apple Music that is sure to cause heated debates across the land as countless ‘which music streaming app is best for you?’ articles begin to appear in your timelines.
Apple are offering a 3-month free trial that should be enough to attract the interest of the curious. When the trial is over, users will have the choice of paying $9.99 a month or the tempting family option for six users at $15 a month.
The bad news is that Sonos and Android owners will have to wait a little longer before accessing the new service from Apple, but the good news is the clarification that offline playlists will indeed be available. However, will this be enough to tempt music fans away from a service that they have already invested vast amounts of time and energy creating playlists for every mood?
Apple Music proudly state they are the only music streaming service where you can hear Pharrell Williams’ new song, Freedom, without even a hint of irony considering the recent Taylor Swift debacle which forced Apple into a hasty retreat.
Although, competition is usually better for the consumer, I fear that we are heading into a music streaming war where artist exclusives will be a critical part of the strategy for Apple, Spotify and the growing number of niche options for music lovers.
We no longer physically own media and have happily subscribed the notion of all you can eat on demand packages. Netflix are expected to dominate the world of movies and TV by 2016 when the streaming service is expected to attract a larger audience than any major broadcast network. With this in mind, it should be no surprise that the music industry is the next battleground.
It infuriates me that people are more willing to sit in a coffee shop and spend a tenner on two coffees, and talk about the weather to their friends, and that coffee will last 45 minutes, yet they will physically get angry at you for asking them to buy an album for a tenner that will last a lifetime and might even tell you something about yourself and might even change your life, or how you dress, or the outlook on everything - Noel Gallagher
Your taste in music and how you access it is an incredibly subjective affair with no one size fits all option. Maybe it’s time to understand how we are all different rather than shouting on internet forums how everyone should choose the same option as you.
It’s easy to get confused with so many sites and apps at your disposal from Guvera, Spotify and Google Play to name but a few. It appears that this latest offering from Apple hopes to simplify the experience and appeal to the casual listener.
Will the lack of a free tier affect Apple Music? Once the three month trial is over, the prospect of paying $120 a year will not be for everyone. Even hardcore music fans are already heavily invested in other services, so it will be interesting to see if they can literally make it pay when playing catchup.
If you have a family who all want to be listening to a variety of music with each person having their own profile, then the Apple Music family option will be very appealing. However, if the idea of Pharrell Williams and Taylor Swift is your soundtrack to hell and prefer to discover new music from up and coming artists, then there will be nothing for you to see here.
There are a wealth of other options available for every music taste, but if you have an Apple device it would be rude not to take advantage of a cheeky free three month trial and make your own mind up. Just promise me that you will resist the urge of showing off at dinner parties using voice commands like "Siri play Nickelback's greatest hits"
Apple has rather cheekily left auto-renewal selected, so when the three-month trial runs out on September 30th, more than a few unsuspecting listeners will automatically find $10 charged on their credit card. Follow the instructions below, if you want to prevent this from happening.
- Open the Apple Music app, select the small red silhouette of a human head on your profile.
- Select “View Apple ID.” And log in
- Under “Subscriptions.” Select “Manage”
Turn off Auto-Renewal and smile smugly as you claim a small victory over the behemoth known as Apple.
I am genuinely interested in your upgrade experiences and opinions on both the iOS 8.4 upgrade and every aspect of the Apple Music platform, so please feedback your thoughts on this big release.
Share your thoughts and views by commenting below or contact me if you would like to share your opinion on my soon to be launched Podcast.
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