25 Things to Know About Apple Music
1. It will arrive at 11 a.m. ET on June 30 with iOS 8.4.
2. At launch, Apple Music is accessible on iOS devices, Mac, and PC. A version for Android and Apple TV launches in the fall.
3. Sync music to an Apple Watch and play it back, even if a paired iPhone is not nearby.
4. Access and sign up via the Music app.
5. All new members get a 90-day free trial.
6. Initially, Apple was not going to compensate artists whose music was streamed during that free trial, but a Taylor Swift changed their minds.
7. Sorry, Spotify. No Bad Blood here. Swift's album, 1989, will stream on Apple Music.
8. Apple Music will stream much of the popular music that is available on iTunes, but not everything (sorry, Beatles fans).
9. Membership is $9.99 per month, which includes music recommendations and unlimited skips on radio stations. For $14.99 per month, share an account with up to six people. For that, you'll need toenable iCloud Family Sharing on iOS or Mac and invite people to join.
10. The bottom of the Music app will now include a "For You" section. The first time you click it, Apple will ask you about your musical preferences. First, select the genre of music you like best (rock, hip-hop, jazz, etc.) from the floating pink bubbles on the screen, and then some specific artists. Tap twice for those you really love, once for those you like.
11. With those selections, plus the songs you have stored in your music library and on iTunes, Apple Music will serve up recommended playlists. Tap on the plus sign to add any that you like to your saved playlists.
12. Apple Music supports offline listening, so you can save songs or playlists to listen to when you're offline, like on the subway underground.
13. Not sure what to listen to? Ask Siri. According to Apple, its digital assistant will be able to handle queries like "Play the top songs from 1982" or "Play more songs like this."
14. Click the "Radio" tab on the Music app for the live, Beats 1 station, which will broadcast to 100 countries via DJs in Los Angeles, New York, and London. You can also access customized stations, which replaces iTunes Radio.
15. Apple Music also replaces Beats Music. When you open the Beats Music app after its next update on iOS, you'll be prompted to switch over to Apple Music. Playlists and saved albums will transfer over, Apple says.
16. Beats 1 will also have interviews, and DJ Zane Lowe said Eminem will be his first sit-down. Apple has also been teasing appearances by Pharrell, Justin Timberlake, Dr. Dre, and Twitter philosopher Jaden Smith ("is this really radio?").
17. Pharrell's new single, "Freedom," will debut on Apple Music today.
18. As you navigate, the song you are listening to will appear in a mini player at the bottom of the screen. Tap it for full-screen access and swipe down to minimize.
19. Add your own artwork to playlists.
20. Apple has promised tens of thousands of ad-free music videos in HD.
21. Apple Music is separate from but complementary to iTunes Match, which sends music stored in your computer's iTunes library to iCloud so you can access it on any device, for $24.99 per year. Recently, Apple's Eddy Cue revealed that Apple will increase the iTunes Match song limit from 25,000 to 100,000 with iOS 9.
22. Apple is trying again with social, and this time it's called Connect. It too will have a tab on the bottom of the Music app; tap it for updates and content from favorite musicians, as well as unsigned artists.
23. Share your favorite playlists, albums, and videos to Facebook, Twitter, or Messages.
24. If you don't have an Apple Music subscription, you can still use your Apple ID to view an artist's feed and follow them on Connect, listen to Beats 1, and listen to Apple Music radio stations with limited skipping.
25. According to Apple, it's revolutionary. Of course.
