Google Play Subscription Music Service Finally Arrives on iPhone

[MacRumors]

Google's 20-million-song strong subscription music service has finally landed on the iPhone, some six months after it was first announced earlier this year.

The Google Play Music app [App Store] allows users to play any songs they have uploaded to Google's iTunes Match-like scan-and-match service -- up to 20,000 songs -- for free, and gives access to an additional 20 million songs for $9.99 per month. There is a free one-month trial of the subscription service available as well.

Reports The Verge:

But to access the real power of Google Play Music, you'll need to pay $9.99 a month for its All Access plan. That gives you the ability to stream or download to your mobile device anything in Google's catalog, which now includes more than 20 million songs. You can create a custom ad-free radio station from any artist, song, or album, and skip as many songs as you like. Google will also recommend tracks based on your listening history, using its own algorithms.

The most distinctive part of Google Play Music lies in its Explore tab, which includes both algorithmic recommendations and playlists created by human editors. "At the end of the day, I think you need both," says Brandon Bilinski, product manager for Google Play Music. Bilinski says his team is designing the service to encourage users to explore unfamiliar categories of music, building starter playlists for 200 genres and subgenres.

Several features present in the Android version are missing from the iOS edition, including the "I Feel Lucky" radio station, which creates a playlist based on your listening history, and songs and subscriptions cannot be purchased directly within the app because of Apple's App Store IAP requirements.

Google's music service is available in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Google Play Music is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Google Play Subscription Music Service Finally Arrives on iPhone

 

[troop231]

Um, something about that bull pic lol

 

[Lapidus]

Now just wait a bit for iTunes (/Match/Radio) to arrive on Android.

Hah. Not gonna happen.

 

[HenryDJP]

NOPE! I'm an iPhone user. Not giving Google any money for a product they offer more features on their Android phones.

 

[Joe-Diver]

Um, something about that bull pic lol

Yeah, I see it too. You have to look close though. Very clever!

 

[locoboi187]

My brother has so many good songs uploaded there. Gonna steal his login.

 

[The Phazer]

Sweet, access to any music I own on the move for free. Great news.

 

[Jynto]

Download this app if you want to give your data about your music tastes away to an advertising company, and probably the NSA. Down with Google and crappy spyware that works better on Android phones. And long live the Mighty Apple!   

Am I doing it right?

 

[dannyyankou]

Google music is actually a really cool service. I'll be using this.

 

[locoboi187]

NOPE! I'm an iPhone user. Not giving Google any money for a product they offer more features on their Android phones.

Android users have to pay too for any music not uploaded by the user...

 

[citi]

So essentially it's itunes radio with itunes Match with a little spotify thrown in. 10$ a month, not horrible when it's isolated but it just means I have to up my data plan which is going to be another 10$. My as well stick with Apple. I'm just growing tired of 9.99$ for every service nowadays. It all adds up quickly

 

[MrSmith]

$10 per month for mainstream? When did this happen?

 

[somethingelsefl]

I've used both Google Play Music (on an Android device) and iTunes Match (on my iPhone). Without a doubt Apple's offering is less buggy, more fluid, and it uploads/streams MUCH faster. Plus, device storage management is much better with iTunes Match.

Privacy concerns aside, even though a portion of Google's offering is free, it comes at too high a cost...it would duplicate, delete, mix and re-arrange my music all the time. It's a mess.

 

[dannyyankou]

NOPE! I'm an iPhone user. Not giving Google any money for a product they offer more features on their Android phones.

You don't need to give them any money. You can upload 20,000 songs and stream them for free. Premium features cost money, which is also the case on android.

 

[MRU]

NOPE! I'm an iPhone user. Not giving Google any money for a product they offer more features on their Android phones.

What does the Android app offer differently to the iOS app pray tell ?


As far as I can tell they offer exactly the same service.

Also there are MANY dual iOS + Android users who have maybe a tablet or phone in one of each OS that greatly benefit from having this service now available on iOS.

If you don't want to use it ... fine

But what I don't understand is why all the negativity when for many Apple users this is a great bit of news.


And...

Unlike Spotify users of Google Play Music can stream multiple instances of the all access service at the same time and not limited to 1 at a time like Spotify. So for households with multiple devices they no longer need multiple accounts to benefit of all access music and offline downloads... Something Spotify could take a note of..

----------

So essentially it's itunes radio with itunes Match with a little spotify thrown in. 10$ a month, not horrible when it's isolated but it just means I have to up my data plan which is going to be another 10$. My as well stick with Apple. I'm just growing tired of 9.99$ for every service nowadays. It all adds up quickly

The main difference I guess is that Apple Radio is simply not available in most countries, whereas Google Music service at least is.

 

[citi]

Yeah, I see it too. You have to look close though. Very clever!

Ewww, stop looking at his Googleling!

 

[stuffradio]

It's hard being a Canadian... when all the big companies don't give you the same service many other countries get.
Going here: https://play.google.com/music/listen#/now
Gives me "The Google Play music player is currently available in select territories."

 

[Frankied22]

Finally. I have been waiting for this since All Access launched.

 

[The Phazer]

I've used both Google Play Music (on an Android device) and iTunes Match (on my iPhone). Without a doubt Apple's offering is less buggy, more fluid, and it uploads/streams MUCH faster. Plus, device storage management is much better with iTunes Match.

Privacy concerns aside, even though a portion of Google's offering is free, it comes at too high a cost...it would duplicate, delete, mix and re-arrange my music all the time. It's a mess.

Huh? It doesn't touch your iTunes Library.

 

[dannyyankou]

Hmm, still using iOS 6 APIs I see.

 

[street.cory]

Hmm, still using iOS 6 APIs I see. Image

What I was looking for. Thanks

 

[Bathplug]

Just in time. Not renewing my icloud subscription next month because the new ios7 music app is crap. Whats the point in having all my music with icloud if the music app is just gonna expanded all the artist albums in chronological order leaving me to scroll through all of them to get to the album I want.

 

[RedOrchestra]

GREAT looking App!

 

[mikeydeezy]

Just because it's a Google app doesn't mean we have to hate it. Geez.

 

[Asuriyan]

Might have to update my Play Music library now. It was a great service when I used an Android phone but I moved away from it in favor of iTunes Match (one of the things that moved me back to iOS after a couple of years of Android phones, the general mediocrity of Samsung and Motorola products being the other).