Does Apple support Apple Music on Android?
Apple Music first launched in June 2015 as a subscription streaming service and expansion of the iTunes Store. It was initially only available on Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, as Apple has historically tied its services closely to its hardware. However, six months after launch, in November 2015, Apple Music was released for Android devices as well. This raised questions around Apple’s strategy and willingness to support its services on non-Apple platforms.
Apple took a major step by bringing Apple Music to Android. Given Apple’s past approach of using services as an incentive to buy into their ecosystem, it was unclear if Apple Music on Android would provide the same level of experience as on iOS. This article will explore how well Apple Music works across different platforms, focusing on the user experience for Android users.
Apple’s History With Android
Apple has historically been reluctant to offer full support for Android devices and services. This stems from Apple’s philosophy of controlling the end-to-end user experience on its own hardware and software ecosystem.
For example, Apple did not offer an iMessage app for Android, even as text messaging exploded in popularity on mobile devices. iMessage was exclusive to Apple’s iOS and Mac devices for many years (source).
However, there have been some exceptions. In 2015, Apple launched Apple Music with an Android app alongside the iOS version. This allowed Android device owners to access Apple’s streaming music service. Offering Apple Music on Android expanded Apple’s potential subscriber base beyond just iPhone owners.
Overall, Apple’s stance has been that the best experience is on Apple devices. But in some cases like with Apple Music, Apple has been willing to support Android to grow its services reach.
Why Apple Music for Android?
Apple has been shifting its business model in recent years to focus more on growing its services revenues beyond just hardware sales. This is evident in Apple’s financial results, with services revenue reaching $22.3 billion in Q3 2022, up 10% year-over-year (Chart: Apple Services: A Decade of Growth). Expanding services like Apple Music to Android helps grow Apple’s addressable market, allowing them to sell subscriptions to non-Apple device owners.
Apple Music launched on Android in November 2015, just a few months after the service debuted on iOS (Apple Music Revenue and Usage Statistics (2024)). This strategy helped rapidly grow Apple Music’s user base early on. While Apple does not breakdown users specifically by platform, Apple Music had reached over 60 million subscribers by summer 2018 (Apple Music Revenue and Usage Statistics (2024)). Offering Apple Music on Android likely contributed significantly to that early growth.
With the vast majority of smartphones running Android globally, supporting Android allows Apple Music to tap into a much larger total addressable market. This can help continue growing Apple Music’s paid subscriber base, which reached an estimated 88 million users in 2022 (Apple Music Revenue and Usage Statistics (2024)). While Apple still has opportunities to convert iOS device owners to paid Apple Music subscribers, Android support gives them access to hundreds of millions more potential subscribers to further increase services revenue.
The Launch of Apple Music for Android
Apple Music officially launched on Android on November 10, 2015, over 4 months after the initial iOS release. The Android app supported Android 4.3 and up at launch. Some of the key features available at launch included:
- Streaming Apple’s full music catalog of over 30 million songs
- Access to Apple Radio with live and on-demand radio stations
- Ability to save music for offline listening
- Integration with Android Wear smartwatches
The Android version had feature parity with iOS at launch, with the exception of full Siri integration and Apple Music social components like Connect. Overall, Apple delivered the core Apple Music experience to Android users right away despite being a later launch on the platform.
User Experience on Android
Overall, Apple Music provides a smooth and intuitive user experience on Android that mirrors the iOS version. However, some reviewers have noted room for improvement.
In terms of visual design and layout, Apple Music looks and feels identical across Android and iOS. The app features Apple’s signature sleek aesthetics with black, white and vibrant accent colors. Navigation is simple with tabs for Library, Search, Radio and your profile. All the key sections like playlists, recommendations and stations are easy to find.
When it comes to performance, Apple Music runs fast and responsive on most modern Android devices. Songs start streaming instantly with no lag or buffering issues. Downloaded music also plays immediately with no delays.
However, some reviewers note that Apple Music seems slightly less optimized for Android compared to iOS. For example, the animations and transitions can sometimes appear a bit jagged or unpolished. The app also lacks full integration with certain Android functions like the system equalizer.
Spotify, in contrast, tends to feel a bit snappier and more seamless on Android hardware and software. But Apple Music still provides a top-notch user experience on par with other streaming services.
The main limitation is that certain iOS-exclusive features are missing, like handoff between devices, Siri voice control, Apple Watch app, and lyrics view. But core functionality like streaming, downloads, playlists, recommendations, and library management remain robust.
Integration With Android
Apple Music integrates well with core Android features and apps, allowing for a smooth user experience. According to the Apple Support article, Apple Music can integrate with Google Assistant to allow voice commands for music playback. Users can say things like “Hey Google, play today’s hits on Apple Music” to queue up music hands-free.
The Apple Music app also integrates with the Android share sheet, making it easy to share songs, albums, and playlists to other apps installed on your device. For example, you can tap the share icon within Apple Music and select an app like Facebook to post what you’re listening to.
Overall, Apple has focused on tailoring Apple Music to feel at home on Android devices. Features like Google Assistant and share sheet integration demonstrate Apple’s commitment to providing a quality experience for Android users who subscribe to the streaming service.
Signing Up With an Android Device
Signing up for Apple Music on an Android phone or tablet is a quick and straightforward process. Simply download the Apple Music app from the Google Play Store and open it. When you open the app for the first time, you’ll be presented with options to start a free trial or sign in with your Apple ID.
To start the free trial, tap “Start your free trial” and you’ll be prompted to enter your payment details. Apple Music offers individual plans for $9.99 per month, family plans for $14.99 per month (up to 6 users), and student plans for $4.99 per month after a verification process [1]. The family plan is great for households with different devices, as it allows customized profiles for each family member.
If you already have an Apple ID, tap “Sign In” and enter your Apple ID email and password to access Apple Music with your existing account. This allows you to seamlessly sync your library, preferences, and listening history across any Apple devices you also own.
Once you’ve started your trial or signed in, the Apple Music app will be ready to use on your Android device. You can browse recommendations, search for music, listen to Beats1 radio, and more.
Does Apple Music work well on Android?
When Apple Music launched on Android in 2015, reviews were generally mixed. Many users complained about stability issues, lack of feature parity with iOS, and poor integration with the Android operating system.
Over time, Apple has made significant improvements to the Android app. Reviews in 2022 and 2023 indicate Apple Music on Android is now much more stable with fewer crashes. Performance is smooth on most modern Android devices.
The Apple Music Android app provides access to over 90 million songs, playlists, music videos, and more. Key features like offline downloads, lyrics view, personalized recommendations, and spatial/Dolby Atmos are now available.
User satisfaction seems to have improved as Apple brings the Android version closer to iOS feature parity. As per an r/AppleMusic Reddit thread, most users report the app works well for streaming, downloads, and library management [1]. Reviewers on the Google Play Store give the app 3.6 out of 5 stars as of Feb 2023.
However, some users still face issues with things like casting to Chromecast devices not working reliably. The lack of an Android Auto app is another common complaint. Overall, while Apple Music on Android may not be as smooth as the iOS experience, it now provides a robust streaming option for Android users.
The Bottom Line
To summarize the key points, Apple Music launched an Android app in June 2015 in an effort to expand its service beyond just iOS users. The Android app provides access to Apple Music’s 50 million song library, curated playlists, radio stations, music videos and more. Users can sign up for the service via the Android app itself with their Apple ID or create an Apple ID within the app.
While the Android version doesn’t have quite as deep integration with the operating system and Siri as the iOS app, reviews have found the core experience to be nearly identical. Features like offline downloading, Family Sharing, personalized recommendations, and access to exclusive releases all work the same. The app receives fairly frequent updates from Apple to add new improvements and fix bugs.
Overall, Apple Music is fully functional and works well across both Android and iOS platforms. For Android users who want access to Apple’s large music and video library plus streaming perks like offline listening, it provides a great option without needing an iOS device. So in conclusion, yes Apple Music does have strong support and a solid user experience on Android.
FAQs
Does my Android device support Apple Music?
Yes! Apple Music is available for download from the Google Play Store for most modern Android devices. It supports Android 4.3 or higher, with recommended phones including Pixel 3+, Galaxy S9+, and OnePlus 6T and later. If your device is up to date with the latest Android version, it should run Apple Music well.
Do I need an Apple device to sign up?
No, you can also subscribe to Apple Music with an Android phone or tablet. Simply download the app, tap Sign Up, and enter your information to create an Apple ID. It’s free to start a 3-month trial.
How do I manage my account on Android?
Apple Music has a full range of account management options on Android. Tap your profile icon to access settings for payment information, sound quality and downloads, smart playlists, listening analytics, and more. You have the same amount of control over your account as iOS users.
Can I use Siri on Android?
Unfortunately Siri is not available within the Android version of Apple Music. However, you can use Google Assistant to search for artists, songs, playlists and control playback of Apple Music. While not identical, many core functions are supported.