Hands down, Apple has changed the way we listen to music. With the release of the revolutionary iPod in 2001, digital music downloads became the standard. Since then, Apple has continued to improve the overall experience for those using Apple music software. Our question now is, will the improvements continue with the release of iOS 8.4?
The developer preview for iOS 8.4 is now available, which allows developers to start creating apps for iOS and OS X. Along with the developer options comes an updated Apple Music App. Some of the more notable improvements on the app include: an all-new design, the ability to add your own images to your playlists, and an all new MiniPlayer which allows you to control playback while browsing your music collection. If that does not excite you, fret not as there are some additional improvements (well, at least we hope they are improvements). Check out the release notes below for the iOS 8.4 Music App.
All-New Design. Music app has a beautiful new design that makes exploring your music collection easier and more fun. Personalize playlists by adding your own image and description. Enjoy stunning pictures of your favorite artists in the Artists view. Start playing an album right from the album list. The music you love is never more than a tap away.
Recently Added. Albums and playlists you’ve recently added are now at the top of your library, making it effortless to find something new to play. Simply tap play on the artwork to listen.
Streamlined iTunes Radio. Discovering music with iTunes Radio is easier than ever. You can now quickly return to your favorite stations in Recently Played. Choose from a selection of hand-curated stations in Featured Stations, or start a new one from your favorite artist or song.
New MiniPlayer. With the new MiniPlayer, you can see what’s playing and control playback while browsing your music collection. To open Now Playing, just tap on the MiniPlayer.
Improved Now Playing. Now Playing has a stunning new design that showcases your album artwork the way it was meant to be. In addition, you can begin wirelessly streaming your music using AirPlay without leaving Now Playing.
Up Next. It’s now simple to find out which songs from your library will play next — just tap the Up Next icon in Now Playing. You can even reorder, add, or skip songs whenever you like.
Global Search. You can now search from anywhere in the Music app — just tap the magnifying glass. Search results are conveniently organized to help you quickly find that perfect song. You can even start an iTunes Radio station right from Search.
Keep in mind, while the developer preview for iOS 8.4 is available, only those who have a device registered through the Apple Developer Program will be able to try it for now. Those who do not have a registered device and attempt to install the iOS run the risk of putting their phone in an “unusable state”.
These improvements are exciting and have even myself (the Android fan boy) a little excited. However, like any good update comes a number of possible bugs. No release is perfect, and there are bound to be some issues discovered as updates are made. I have met many iOS–and Android users–who have waited to update their phones until the iOS became more stable.
What are your thoughts? Are you excited for the updated Apple Music App? What are you most concerned about? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.