Apple Continuing Work on New Apple Music App for Classical Music

[MacRumors]

Following its acquisition of the classical music service Primephonic earlier this year, Apple's work on a new music app dedicated to classical music is ongoing, a recent job listing indicates.

Earlier this year, Apple announced that it had purchased the classical music streaming service Primephonic and would be folding it into Apple Music. Primephonic offered an "outstanding listening experience" with search and browse functionality that is specifically optimized for classical music, as well as handpicked recommendations and "contextual details on repertoire and recordings."

Apple said that with the acquisition of Primephonic, Apple Music subscribers would be provided with an improved classical music experience. This was said to start with Primephonic playlists and audio content, followed by a dedicated Primephonic experience with improved browsing and search capabilities by composer and repertoire, better classical music metadata, and more, at a later date.

Most strikingly, Apple said that it would launch a new Apple Music app dedicated to classical music in 2022. The app will combine Primephonic's user interface and specializations for classical music with Apple Music and features such as Lossless and Spatial Audio.

Apple is now looking to hire a UX Designer to work on the new app in the classical music team, according to a listing on Apple's jobs site. The role, located in London or Amsterdam, will be expected to "provide UX expertise and new perspectives specifically for Primephonic." The job listing goes on to explain that Apple is exploring and creating a distinct experience for classical music, including "visual, audial, and haptic" aspects.

While the job listing suggests that the Primephonic brand will persist for the new app, Primephonic was taken offline on September 7, 2021 and is no longer available for new subscribers. Current Primephonic subscribers received six months of Apple Music access for free with access to thousands of classical albums that support Lossless and Spatial Audio.

Primephonic's website now tells visitors: "We are working on an amazing new classical music experience from Apple for early next year." It is not clear to what extent the Primephonic brand will persist in the new app, if at all, and how heavily it will amalgamate with Apple Music.

(Thanks, Chris!)

Article Link: Apple Continuing Work on New Apple Music App for Classical Music

 

[Ludatyk]

Where’s the Apple Music app for the Xbox?

 

[nvmls]

Lol so they consider the regular Music app "done"? ??‍♂️

 

[gank41]

I’ve been using an app called Concertino for a while that shows a lot of the info Classical Music fans look for. Works great, and integrates into Apple Music.

‎Concertino

‎Finally, classical music and Apple Music working together! Transform Apple Music into a magical classical music jukebox - browse composers, genres and periods, search for recordings, create playlists of multi-movement works, start no-nonsense radio stations and much, much more, for free! -...

apps.apple.com

 

[Galley]

I am hoping there will be a separate Primephonic app for the Mac, as well.

 

[winxmac]

My Apple Music subscription was canceled due to me no longer topping up my mobile phone which was my method of payment... Then about a month ago, I grabbed the Winback offer just to check if the playlists I have created back then are still there... But as I have read from somewhere, your playlists are only kept for about up to 90 days or 6 months I think and upon realizing this I immediately canceled it even though it was free for a month...

What I miss from Apple Music that is not available in Spotify and YouTube Premium/YouTube Music are some Japanese music videos that are region-locked and can only be viewed when the country of your payment method is Japan...

I have set my Spotify account to Japan but since I don't have a payment method for that country, some of the songs in my playlist are grayed out and I can only play them again once I cancel my subscription and switch back the country to Japan... I'm just shaking my head when I see some people say a certain song/music is not available in a certain streaming service when in fact it is available it just so happens to be region-locked although there really are some songs that were never available to begin with due to exclusive deals with certain companies...

 

[bitfactory]

They need to blow up the Mac 'Music' app and start over - it's embarrassing. I switched to Spotify in January almost solely due to the garbage macOS Music app. The Spotify app isn't perfect, but it runs circles around Music.

I just don't understand how Apple dropped the ball so hard on this app. Just swarm a decent-sized team on it for a year and create a killer app. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

Next step, develop a classical-specific version of Sound Check that incorporates a more drastic predictive AGC. Imagine being able to enjoy classical music without having to constantly adjust the volume of your device.

 

[incoherent_1]

Just the fact this is even rumored shows you how overly-focused the current Apple Music service is on just a few genres.

 

[CrapShack]

Interesting, the one thing not listed in the job posting - "Deep knowledge of Classical Music." So many UI's for every music service I've ever used seem to be desgined by people who have no idea about, for instance, the difference between a symphony and a concerto...

 

[Razorpit]

Apple won't consider the app to be "completed" until you start getting some Billie Elish, Drake, or Travis Scott mixed in with your Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky.

I can't listen to a Replacements album now in AppleMusic without them mixing in some alternative live tracks or a take from some other remix compilation album. I miss the days of Apple "knowing" music.

 

[JoeInMilwaukee]

Interesting, the one thing not listed in the job posting - "Deep knowledge of Classical Music." So many UI's for every music service I've ever used seem to be desgined by people who have no idea about, for instance, the difference between a symphony and a concerto...

Many years ago I learned that one of my coworkers considered any classical music with singing to be an opera!

 

[Butler Trumpet]

Interesting, the one thing not listed in the job posting - "Deep knowledge of Classical Music." So many UI's for every music service I've ever used seem to be desgined by people who have no idea about, for instance, the difference between a symphony and a concerto...

Exactly. That's how we end up with "Top 50 Classical Hits" and garbage like that showing up in search results. No Apple. I want a specific recording with a specific orchestra and a specific conductor from a specific year .... not some classical album I'd find at walmart.

 

[Red Oak]

My Apple Music subscription was canceled due to me no longer topping up my mobile phone which was my method of payment... Then about a month ago, I grabbed the Winback offer just to check if the playlists I have created back then are still there... But as I have read from somewhere, your playlists are only kept for about up to 90 days or 6 months I think and upon realizing this I immediately canceled it even though it was free for a month...

What I miss from Apple Music that is not available in Spotify and YouTube Premium/YouTube Music are some Japanese music videos that are region-locked and can only be viewed when the country of your payment method is Japan...

I have set my Spotify account to Japan but since I don't have a payment method for that country, some of the songs in my playlist are grayed out and I can only play them again once I cancel my subscription and switch back the country to Japan... I'm just shaking my head when I see some people say a certain song/music is not available in a certain streaming service when in fact it is available it just so happens to be region-locked although there really are some songs that were never available to begin with due to exclusive deals with certain companies...

This is what you call "over sharing".

 

[Motawa]

Just bring back Cover Flow.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

How about Apple should work on all music genre.

 

[Rogifan]

Now do one for jazz.

 

[trhoffmann]

Judging from Primephonic forum posts I read while a subscriber, many Primephonic subscribers used Windows and Android. Apple needs versions of its new classical music app to be cross platform. The Primephonic web player was notoriously buggy and virtually unusable.

 

[McScooby]

One thing I miss about all this digital content is things like who played on a song, where & when it was recorded & by whom etc. all the stuff that you got on physical media.
SJ tried to recreate this with iTunes LP, but sadly it still missed all the liner notes & charging artists extra for the privilege contributed to its downfall.
At this point Music should be as comprehensive as roon and available mass-market.

 

[TechRunner]

Apple won't consider the app to be "completed" until you start getting some Billie Elish, Drake, or Travis Scott mixed in with your Bach, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky.

I can't listen to a Replacements album now in AppleMusic without them mixing in some alternative live tracks or a take from some other remix compilation album. I miss the days of Apple "knowing" music.

On a different note, glad to see "The 'Mats" get a mention on MR! Always loved the band. Saw them live in '83 (yes, I'm that old haha) and it was a very energetic show.

 

[Morichan]

Instead of putting resource on that, how about developing native Apple Music for Windows?

 

[BornAgainMac]

Took that Bloatware of iTunes to another extreme.

 

[TonyC28]

Next step, develop a classical-specific version of Sound Check that incorporates a more drastic predictive AGC. Imagine being able to enjoy classical music without having to constantly adjust the volume of your device.

I’ve noticed these volume issues too. Is it because an algorithm accounts for the loudest part of a track?

 

[ralpa]

Where is horizontal mode for iPhone?

 

[BWhaler]

how about fix the terrible buggy one you have today.