APPLE MUSIC October 11, 2024 at 2:45 p.m
Apple Music Individual offers you a large selection of audio content. The music streaming service can keep up with Spotify, but will probably never overtake it.
By default, most Apple Music users choose the individual subscription. This is not always the best choice. (Source: Montage: Netzwelt/ Image source with AI/ Logo: Apple)
Apple Music has been trying to keep up with or even catch up with market leader Spotify for years. From a global perspective, Apple Music was even overtaken by Tencent Music in the third quarter of 2023. Difficult times for Apple’s music streaming division. However, for certain people, Apple Music Individual may be worth it, even though another provider is better.
Was ist Apple Music Individual?
Apple Music Individual is the subscription version for individuals, i.e. for a single user. With this subscription, the American company offers you a competing product to Spotify Premium Individual or Amazon Music Unlimited. Ideal for single people who are looking for a music streaming subscription and a wide selection of audio content.
Apple Music Individual: The user interface and apps
If a nice and clear layout is important to you, then you might like Apple Music. Nevertheless, the market leader Spotify is still a bit better here, although this of course varies from person to person. Basically, the Apple Music app comes in the typical white, but you can also switch to dark mode. We like the app a little better in dark mode.
You can use Apple Music in both light and dark mode. (Source: Netzwelt / Screenshot: Apple Music app)
You can use the Apple Music app primarily on the iPhone/iPad and the web player via an internet browser. If you are a Windows user, you can download a desktop app from the Microsoft Store. Of course, there is also an app for Mac. You can also download the Apple Music app on the Apple Watch and play the music on other devices via AirPlay, for example.
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The features at a glance
Apple has one thing in common with its competitors in the music streaming market: the features. Each provider advertises certain functions, for example the ability to listen to music ad-free. According to Apple Music, you get access to more than 100 million songs, which is about the same level as Spotify or Amazon Music. Here is an overview of the most important features:
- 100 million songs & 30,000 curated playlists
- Exclusive Apple content and live formats
- Stream music without ads
- Download and listen to audio content offline
- Free trial subscription of up to three months
- Accurate song lyrics to sing along to
The exclusive content is worth mentioning here. These are, for example, live performances or exciting interviews with well-known musicians and bands. Anyone interested in background stories will definitely get their money’s worth here. The exact song lyrics to sing along to are also a nice feature, but they’re more of a gimmick.
You can also get many of these features from the competition. Therefore, you might ask the question, “Why should I choose Apple Music?” As legitimate as the question is, the American music streaming service wants to offer an answer with a new “dimension of sound”. But how good is the audio quality of Apple Music really?
A supposed flagship: the audio quality
As the top dog in the music streaming market, Spotify has been the undisputed number one for years. It is all the more interesting that the provider from Sweden does not offer lossless audio. Apple Music and other competitors, however, do. The company even developed its own audio format called ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec).
Apple Music offers you three different options when it comes to audio quality. The lowest option is a lossy format that uses the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) codec. The other two options are lossless and play the music in ALAC format:
- “High Quality”: 256 kbit/s (Kilobit pro Sekunde) im AAC-Format
- “Lossless”: Up to 24-bit, 48 kHz (kilohertz) in ALAC format
- “Hi-Res Lossless”: Up to 24-bit, 192 kHz in ALAC format
This sounds very good in theory, but there is an elementary problem. Most of you will want to use the service via the iPhone app with Bluetooth headphones. What many people don’t know or don’t pay attention to is that lossless audio cannot be transmitted over a Bluetooth connection.
This ultimately means that you either have to use a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) or at least use a Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter from Apple. This in turn would force you to use wired headphones. You have to decide for yourself whether you really want that.
If you want to stream Apple Music in Hi-Res Lossless, your iPhone will notify you that you need an external converter. (Source: Netzwelt / Screenshot: Apple iPhone)
If you want to use the web player, you could at least in theory get around the problem with an audio interface and studio headphones via a 6.3 mm jack cable. However, the web player does not support lossless audio, only the desktop app does.
So the exceptional audio quality is a supposed feature. In reality, however, it is difficult for you to enjoy this. Although there are users who swear that Apple Music, with 256 kbit/s AAC, is already better than Spotify (320 kbit/s AAC), the difference is hardly audible. Especially not with Bluetooth headphones. And this problem is not only experienced by Apple Music, but also by providers such as Amazon Music, Deezer and Tidal.
3D audio with Dolby Atmos
Apple Music also offers a surround sound format called Dolby Atmos, which is intended to give you a completely new music experience. You can also test and enjoy this with normal Bluetooth headphones like the Apple AirPods Max. However, since Dolby Atmos was originally created for cinema and film, the headphone experience is completely different compared to complete home theater systems. It’s still fun, because Dolby makes some songs a real experience.
Discover new music: Apple Music playlists
The opportunity to discover new music on Apple Music is very good. The music streaming service offers you different playlists. These are partly curated by people and partly created automatically by your listening behavior. Playlist formats such as “Daily Top 100”, for example, offer you the currently 100 most popular songs sorted by country. You will also find playlists listed by season, mood or what is currently trending.
Apple Music offers you a wide selection of playlists and mixes. (Source: Netzwelt / Screenshot: Apple Music)
This means you can always find new music and artists. The selection is good for a provider of this size, but not quite on the same level as Spotify. However, this is not only due to the music, but also to podcasts and audio books.
Podcasts, audio books and content for children
If you want to use Apple Music, you won’t find any podcasts in the Apple Music app. The reason for this is that Apple provides its own app for this, “Apple Podcasts”. If you open the podcast app with a valid Apple Music subscription, the podcasts will automatically be activated for you. This means you can listen to podcasts and audiobooks with the Apple Music subscription, but only in the Apple Podcasts app.
However, you can already find family-friendly content for children there. The selection is good, there is a lot of well-known content such as “TKKG” or “Benjamin Blümchen”. However, it is a bit confusing and not as broad as a parent would like.
Apple Music Classical
If you are a fan of classical music, then Apple Music has something very special for you: With an additional app called “Apple Music Classical” you get a large selection of classical music. Apple reasons this is because classical music is different from contemporary genres and many classical works have multiple movements and titles. Depending on the composer, the selection can be so large that, according to Apple, it is worth having your own app for it.
How much does Apple Music Individual cost?
If you have decided on Apple Music Individual and would like to take out the subscription, you will have to pay 10.99 euros per month. If you are a new customer, you will receive a trial subscription of up to three months. To do this, however, you have to take out the subscription via an Apple device. Otherwise you get a trial subscription of 30 days (as of August 2024).
Conclusion: A good alternative in the shadow of Spotify
Apple Music has a large selection of music, a clear layout and scores with good audio quality. But only with the right hardware. And that is exactly the main problem with Apple Music. If you use Apple Music Individual, you get broadly similar features to Spotify, but less selection and a slightly worse system when it comes to discovering new music.
Accordingly, Apple Music can certainly compete with Spotify, but probably never completely overtake it. This is also because Spotify is easily accessible to everyone and Apple Music is best used via Apple devices. Understandably, Apple wants you to use as many products from the Apple ecosystem as possible. However, in our opinion, this is a big disadvantage for the music streaming department.
If you are already in the Apple ecosystem and use other Apple products or devices, then Apple Music will definitely make sense for you. Otherwise, there are few arguments for Apple Music compared to other providers, especially the market leader Spotify.
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