Skip to main content

Overhauled Music app with lots of new features coming soon to iPhone

Apple iOS 8.4: Music App Walkthrough
Apple is set to roll out an all-new Music app for iPhone pretty soon. The new software has shown up as part of a preview version of iOS 8.4, sent out to registered developers on Monday for testing.

According to its release notes, the revamped Music app features, for example, an overhauled interface designed to make it easier to explore your library of tracks. You’ll be able to personalize playlists by adding your own descriptions as well as images from your own library, and also see pictures of your favorite bands and singers in the Artists view.

Recently Added music will be moved to the top of your library for easier access, while design improvements have also been made to Now Playing, the Cupertino-based company said. You’ll also see an Up Next feature in Now Playing so you can see which tracks are on their way. This feature also lets you reorder, add, or skip songs at any time.

A new MiniPlayer is also being introduced, which lets you control playback and see what’s playing. You can also minimize the player, enabling you to carry on exploring your library.

The team behind the app is also including an always-showing search icon at the top right of the display so you can more easily track down your favorite artist or song instead of having to tap and swipe through endless lists.

A “streamlined” iTunes Radio is also on its way, which should help to improve music discoverability. “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,” Apple said in iOS 8.4’s notes.

The tech firm informs developers that the new Music app is a relatively early build, resulting in limited functionality, particularly with iTunes Radio.

The comprehensive update for Apple’s mobile Music app should be rolled out in the coming months, prior to the likely unveiling of iOS 9 at its annual WWDC bash, which is expected to take place in June.

Quite how its new Music app and iTunes Radio will fit with Apple’s expected roll out of a new Beats-based music streaming service isn’t clear, but all should be revealed in the next couple of months.

YouTube user Mike Kukielka has posted an overview of the Music app’s new features – check it out at the top of this post.

[Source: Engadget]

Editors' Recommendations

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
We now know when Apple is adding RCS to the iPhone
The iPhone 14 Plus held in a man's hand.

Last November, Apple made a surprise announcement when it confirmed that RCS was coming to the iPhone in 2024. It's something iPhone and Android phone users alike have been waiting years for, but there was just one small problem: Apple never said when in 2024 RCS was coming. Thanks to Google, of all companies, we now have a better idea of when RCS is heading to the iPhone.

As spotted by 9to5Google, the Android website was recently updated with a new page dedicated to Google Messages. If you click on the "See more features" button for the section talking about RCS, there's a section titled "Better messaging for all" with the following text: "Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024. Once that happens, it will mean a better messaging experience for everyone."

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the iPhone 15 Pro Max
iPhone 15 Pro Max lying on the ground surrounded by leaves.

Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max is one of the top choices for a premium smartphone. It offers the latest and greatest from Apple, including the new A17 Pro chip, a fantastic camera system, a lightweight titanium body, the Action button, and USB-C charging. It's a great package.

But there’s no doubt about it — the iPhone 15 Pro Max is also quite expensive, with a starting price of $1,200. It’s also not the only option out there if you want the best smartphone on the market, especially if you aren’t particularly invested in the Apple ecosystem.

Read more
Your iPhone just got a new iOS update, and you should download it right now
iPhone 15 Pro display with iPhone 15 Pro Max in background.

Apple has just released a new security update, iOS 17.4.1. This comes a little over two weeks after iOS 17.4, which was a big update. iOS 17.4.1 doesn't add any new features, but it's still an important update you'll want to download as soon as you can.

With iOS 17.4.1, Apple states that the update “provides important bug fixes and security updates and is recommended for all users.” Apple doesn’t mention any specifics of these bug fixes, but more details on what this security update addresses may be revealed at a later date.

Read more