Verizon gives free Apple Music to (some of) its unlimited customers
Streaming music is all the rage these days, and for good reason. It is affordable and convenient -- long gone are the days of spending $20 for a single CD. Seriously, folks, that is what many albums were selling for before Napster and other piracy offerings leveled the playing field. Nowadays, for a paltry monthly fee, you can access more music than you can possibly listen to in your lifetime. It rules.
There are many quality services from which to choose, but my favorite is Apple Music. It works well on my iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, but also, it is compatible with Windows, Android, and Amazon Alexa too. Sadly, there is no web version, but I digress. I happily give Apple $10 each month to be rewarded with a great music listening experience. If you are a Verizon unlimited customer, you may no longer need to pay for Apple's streaming service. You see, the cell provider will now be providing complimentary access to some of its customers.
Apple acquires Shazam and promises an ad-free app for all
Apple has today completed its purchase of music-identification app Shazam after lengthy investigation by the EU -- and there's good news for anyone who uses it.
The app's millions of global users will soon be able to enjoy an ad-free experience. Apple just says that this will be happening "soon", without giving any sense of timescale.
Apple Music just may have overtaken Spotify in the US
A new report suggests that Apple may have succeeded in attracting more subscribers to Apple Music than have signed up to Spotify -- in the US, at least.
While this is far from official -- with the report being based on an anonymous source -- it is in keeping with the general feeling from earlier in the year when it was thought that Apple Music probably was going to overtake Spotify in the near future.
Apple launches Beats Pop Collection
Beats headphones are really good. Yes they are overpriced, but no, they are not form over function. They are simultaneously fashion statements and high-quality headphones. In other words, even if a consumer buys them only because they are trendy and look cool, the person will still end up with a great product.
Apple is known for fun and bright designs -- its Watch bands, for instance, are full of color. Let's not forget the original iMac line which changed the computer industry forever. Now, Apple is making its Solo3 Wireless ($299.95) and Powerbeats3 Wireless ($199.95) super funky with the all-new "Pop Collection."
Apple reveals which speakers support AirPlay 2
With the launch of iOS 11.4 yesterday, Apple also unleashed AirPlay 2. Bringing support for stereo pairing and multi-room audio, this was the update HomePod users had been waiting for.
But a HomePod is not the only way to take advantage of AirPlay 2; there are lots of other speakers that support the standard. Apple has now published a list of all of the AirPlay 2 speakers and receivers that are currently available, or will be very soon.
Apple embraces the Microsoft Store with iTunes for Windows 10
Windows 10 is a great operating system, but its app store? Not so much. Don't get me wrong, the Microsoft Store is a serviceable solution, but it is deficient in many ways. Most notably, there is a lack of quality apps, as many developers haven't truly embraced the store. The apps that are there, however, are often fakes/imitations and low quality. If Microsoft wants to legitimize its app store, it needs to score some major software.
I was in attendance at Build 2017 when Microsoft announced an impressive score -- iTunes was coming to the store. Believe it or not, that announcement elicited a gasp from the Build crowd. True, Apple's media program is in dire need of a UI refresh, and it is quite bloated, but many people still use it daily -- especially for Apple Music. Unfortunately, the promised iTunes never came to the Microsoft Store -- until today. Yes, damn near a year after the announcement, iTunes is finally in the store. Better late than never, I suppose.
Apple's purchase of Shazam to be investigated by the EU
Apple's planned purchase of UK-based music-recognition app Shazam for $400 million is facing an investigation by the European Commission.
The commission is concerned that the purchase could give Apple an unfair advantage because of the access it would have to user data, and there is also concern that consumer choice could be limited. Initial investigations found that Apple may use the takeover to encourage Shazam users to move to its own music streaming services, so the commission is undertaking a more in-depth probe.
Apple HomePod: 'wow' but 'uh-oh'
HomePod arrived yesterday at 9:40 a.m. PST; thank-you UPS for prompt delivery of my preorder. My initial reaction: Wow and uh-oh. The wow harkens back to the original iPod, which Apple released in October 2001. The company's design ethic treated the overall experience as the user interface: Attach FireWire cable to Mac and device, music syncs. iTunes manages music on the Mac; for iPod, a simple scroll-wheel navigates tracks displayed on a small screen. The uncomplicated and understated approach defied the UX of every other MP3 sold by all other manufacturers.
HomePod is a defining, roots-return that's well-deserving of the portion of name in common with its forebear; both share in common emphasis on music listening as primary benefit.
Apple Music Festival is cancelled indefinitely
The Apple Music Festival -- formerly known as the iTunes Festival -- has been cancelled. The termination of the festival comes after a decade-long run which has seen performances from artists such as Oasis, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Lady Gaga and Elton John.
Once a month-long event, the Apple Music Festival shrank down to just a 10-nighter in recent years. Apple -- due to launch the iPhone 8 next week -- is unlikely to completely pull out of the music scene, having recently been involved in the sponsorship of shows by Lana Del Rey and Arcade Fire.
Let me tell you about Apple Fiscal Q1 2017
The measure of Apple fiscal first quarter 2017 isn't record revenues ($78.35 billion) but comparison to major competitors: More than three times Google ($26.06 billion) or Microsoft ($24.1 billion). Amazon announces tomorrow, Groundhog Day. Will the retailer's CEO, Jeff Bezos, see his shadow? The 3x multiplier nearly applies to net income: $17.89 billion, versus $6.64 billion and $5.2 billion, respectively, for the two rivals. Looked at differently, compared to Apple's same quarter in fiscal 2010, seven years later, profits exceed total revenues ($15.68 billion). That's an astounding comparison.
The results defy pundits' prognostications, including my own, about gravity pulling the company back to Earth. iPhone, as major source of revenue, can only stay up for so long, before slowing smartphone sales wreck havoc. That said, credit where it's due: CEO Tim Cook is, as I've asserted before, a logistics and manufacturing genius. He is a strategist, but not an innovation leader like predecessor Steve Jobs. Cook masterfully manages his inheritance, but he, nor Apple observers, should get lost in the quarter's glow: iPhone remains boon and bane.
Tidal Masters go their own way
During Consumer Electronics Show 2017 yesterday, in licensing partnership with MQA, music streamer Tidal announced the new audio-fidelity tier "Masters", which is available for free to existing HiFi subscribers. Early album selection is extremely limited as is access option: macOS or Windows application. Both will expand in time.
But wow! I tested skeptically, wiring up my studio cans—Audio-Technica ATH-R70x—to 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar to hear the difference. Hehe, if any. I deliberately started with Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" from album "Rumors", which released 40 years ago on February 4th. Tidal claims that Masters recordings deliver "an audio experience exactly as the artist intended". The band spent nearly a year painstakingly recording and engineering the disc, making any, or all, the songs great test cases.
Nielsen: Top 10 smartphone apps of 2016 -- Facebook and Google dominate
When it comes to mobile operating systems, apps still reign supreme. To highlight which ones were most popular in 2016, Nielsen conducted a study of Android and iPhone smartphone users.
Not surprisingly, two major players in the mobile space -- Facebook and Google -- lead the pack.
Neil Young returns to Apple Music and Spotify
Neil Young is one of my favorite musicians. He is second only to Joni Mitchell for touching my heart and soul. Surprisingly, I haven't listened to his music for well over a year. Why? He pulled his tunes from streaming services, such as Spotify and Apple Music. He claimed that he did this because he was dissatisfied with the sound quality of these online platforms.
Quite frankly, I was very angry with Young for this move. True, he was totally within his rights to remove his music catalog, but many fans -- such as yours truly -- were perfectly happy with the sound quality. Now, after a long absence, Neil Young returns his music to services like Amazon Music Unlimited, Spotify and Apple Music.
Libratone unveils noise-canceling Q Adapt in-ear Lightning connector earbuds for iPhone 7
Next week is Apple's big product event, where many expect the iPhone 7 to make its debut. The most controversial aspect of that new smartphone is the rumored removal of the 3.5mm audio jack. In other words, if the rumors are true, traditional wired earbuds will no longer work without a dongle. Bluetooth headphones will still work, of course.
In anticipation of the 3.5mm port removal, Apple's Lightning connector is being viewed as the new default way to connect wired headphones/earbuds. With that said, we will likely see an influx of Lightning connector headphones this holiday season. Libratone is getting the jump on this, however, with its newly announced Q Adapt In-Ear Lightning earbuds. The product doesn't just utilize the Lightning connector for audio, but to power the noise-canceling technology too. Of course, the earbuds should work with any iPhone with a Lightning connector -- not just the upcoming model.
Apple buys 'Carpool Karaoke'
When I bought my first-ever iPhone in September 2015, I was a die-hard Spotify user. Since I was starting fresh by abandoning Android, I decided to give Apple Music a try instead. I loved it. The sound quality is superb, and the human-curated playlists are second to none. While it is not perfect, it is very satisfying and getting better.
Today, Apple makes a seemingly curious purchase to bolster the aforementioned streaming music service -- a TV series. While that may sound odd, it actually makes sense as it is music related. You see, it is based on the wildly popular "Carpool Karaoke" segment from CBS' "The Late Late Show".
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