Demo: Using Apple Music on a Samsung TV

[MacRumors]

Samsung and Apple have partnered to bring the Apple Music app to Samsung TVs, and as of today, the Apple Music service and dedicated app can be accessed on Samsung TV sets manufactured in 2018 and later.

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We have a Samsung TV so we thought we'd check out how Apple Music works, as this is the first time that Apple has brought the Apple Music app directly to a smart TV.

Samsung TV owners who also use Apple Music on other devices will find the interface looks and feels familiar. It's almost identical to what you see when using Apple Music on the Apple TV, with a navigation bar that features For You, Browse, Radio, Library, Search, and Settings.

For You features curated music picks from Apple and playlists customized to your listening tastes, while Browse houses content recommendations, more generalized playlists, radio stations, and more, with a focus on trending music and new releases.

Radio, of course, lets you listen to radio stations and Beats 1 shows, Videos houses trending music videos, and Library features your saved Apple Music songs and playlists and personal music stored in iCloud or added through iTunes Match.

A Now Playing tab lets you see what's currently playing, and Search is for looking for specific songs, artists, or albums.

In our testing, the app worked well and was bug-free, and it will be interesting to see whether the Apple Music app expands to additional smart TVs and platforms in the coming months. Perhaps Apple will even bring other services like Podcasts and Apple Arcade to non-Apple platforms at some point in the future.

Along with the Apple Music app, Samsung smart TVs also have an Apple TV app to allow Samsung users to use Apple TV+ and iTunes content as Apple works to expand access to its services outside of its own ecosystem.

Though Apple is expanding the Apple Music service to newer smart TVs from Samsung, there are still plans on the horizon for new Apple TV set-top boxes. Rumors suggest Apple is working on a refreshed Apple TV with an updated processor that could come out at some point this year.

Article Link: Demo: Using Apple Music on a Samsung TV

 

[star-affinity]

Hmm… Bringing Apple Arcade to ”other platforms” seem way more complicated than Apple developing their own app for use with their music service on a bunch of smart TV platforms.

I think we're talking relatively far into the future if that will be the case. I mean games in Apple Arcade depends on stuff in iOS, iPad OS and MacOS that aren't available on smart TV platforms – graphics rendering using Metal for example.

 

[AngerDanger]

Samsung and Apple have partnered to bring the Apple Music app to Samsung TVs

Ohhhhh, so this is what it felt when…

 

[rafaelclaycon]

Still not seeing the app here (I live in Brazil).

 

[chadthemac]

Still not seeing the app here (I live in Brazil).

I had to turn my TV off and back on a couple times before Samsung signed me into my account. Because I also have a Samsung phone with the Apple Music app, then second time I started the TV up, my Samsung account synced the app and it worked as expected. Maybe a restart isn't needed, but signing out of your Samsung account could also trigger a sync?

 

[Videot27]

My big question is: although there's an AppleTV app on the Samsung TV (I just got a Samsung TV yesterday), it lacks the ability to tie into my iTunes library on my Mac. Home videos, etc. still can't go to the TV like I was able to send them to my AppleTV box (my kids got the old TV and box). Is this at all doable? I have a lot of videos on my Mac I'd like to be able to watch on the new TV.

Note that I really prefer NOT to have to use Airplay 2 to play from the Mac to the TV. I would love the ability to access and play videos from my iTunes library like I used to.

 

[CarlJ]

I mean games in Apple Arcade depends on stuff in iOS, iPad OS and MacOS that aren't available on smart TV platforms – graphics rendering using Metal for example.

I don't see Apple Arcade going into Smart TVs unless/until Apple makes a bare-board AppleTV card to sell direct to TV manufacturers. Arcade requires iOS or tvOS, and Apple doesn't let anyone else put it on hardware not made by Apple, plus it's complicated, plus the hardware has to exactly match Apple hardware (so they can develop Arcade for several hardware combinations rather than hundreds of random TV manufacturer hardware setups.

 

[FightTheFuture]

Do a lot of people listen to music on their TVs? Serious question.

 

[CarlJ]

My big question is: although there's an AppleTV app on the Samsung TV (I just got a Samsung TV yesterday), it lacks the ability to tie into my iTunes library on my Mac. Home videos, etc. still can't go to the TV like I was able to send them to my AppleTV box (my kids got the old TV and box). Is this at all doable? I have a lot of videos on my Mac I'd like to be able to watch on the new TV.

I think you're going to find the AppleTV app on smart TVs limited to playing TV+, and movies/shows purchased from Apple. It's not the full capabilities of a hardware AppleTV. I have an AppleTV app in my TV, which I've never touched, since it's only a subset of the capabilities of my standalone AppleTV.

 

[Abazigal]

Do a lot of people listen to music on their TVs? Serious question.

I stream Apple Music from my Apple TV when I am working in my room, but mainly because I don’t have a HomePod.

 

[TsMkLg068426]

sorry remove comment please

 

[CarlJ]

Do a lot of people listen to music on their TVs? Serious question.

Sometimes, yes. Because the TV's sound plays through a Sonos surround system. I haven't heard the TV's built-in speakers since the day I set it up.

 

[smallduck]

Um, installing and launching, why didn't you show that part?! Also, link to the list of supported TVs maybe?

This is as vacuous as a TikTok. What's wrong that you can't think to include informative details in a so-called news article?

 

[realeric]

All of Samsung TVs can't even support Dolby Vision 4K. Who still buy Samsung TVs?

 

[kiseong]

Still no Homekit support.

 

[CarlJ]

Um, installing and launching, why didn't you show that part?! Also, link to the list of supported TVs maybe?

This is as vacuous as a TikTok. What's wrong that you can't think to include informative details in a so-called news article?

You know if you offered these as suggestions, instead of abuse, and tagged the editor who posted the article, it might get updated. Unless complaining was your primary goal.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I think my next TV will have to be a Samsung. It will be nice to have all the built in Apple features in a TV.

 

[Manatlt]

All of Samsung TVs can't even support Dolby Vision 4K. Who still buy Samsung TVs?

I do.

 

[Jjayf]

Do a lot of people listen to music on their TVs? Serious question.

I do. My Samsung is piped out to my audio setup. It’s convenient to steam Sirius or Apple Music from the jumbo screen.

 

[chickenninja]

That’s exciting! Nice to hear that Apple Tv hardware is rumored to be ready. I feel customization would take Apple Music app even further. A few more options for users to steer algorithms to provide suggestions in personalized menus, menus that like “popular” could be categorically preference shaped and then automatically genius populated. Musically you may want certain things for working out, or relaxing, and have your own special feelings of what does that for you in your personalized menus. A bit like a genius playlist you can categorically curate. I feel anywhere between 4 and 6 is the sweet spot of not having too many personalized menu options.

 

[VARTV]

Do a lot of people listen to music on their TVs? Serious question.

I would IF we didn't have a home theater. We work from home and stream SXM all day long...

 

[erinsarah]

All of Samsung TVs can't even support Dolby Vision 4K. Who still buy Samsung TVs?

Lots and lots of Costco shoppers.

 

[FlyBry]

Do a lot of people listen to music on their TVs? Serious question.

My Samsung TV sends that music to my home theater system. The TV is the interface for controlling the Apple Music. If my Yamaha would do it natively, I would use that.

 

[Infinite Vortex]

I think you're going to find the AppleTV app on smart TVs limited to playing TV+, and movies/shows purchased from Apple. It's not the full capabilities of a hardware AppleTV. I have an AppleTV app in my TV, which I've never touched, since it's only a subset of the capabilities of my standalone AppleTV.

But if that's all I'm doing, which watching content pushed in iTune and now Apple Music, what's the purpose of an Apple TV? A new Apple TV 4K is a lot to spend if it doesn't given me anything additional to what I'm wanting.

 

[CarlJ]

But if that's all I'm doing, which watching content pushed in iTune and now Apple Music, what's the purpose of an Apple TV? A new Apple TV 4K is a lot to spend if it doesn't given me anything additional to what I'm wanting.

If your use case is "watching things purchased/rented from Apple (movies, shows, or TV+ streaming)", it's likely that what you'll see (all you'll see) different by using an actual ATV4K is a pleasing uniform interface and faster response. That may or may not be important to you - your call. (Select Samsung TV's can also now use the Apple Music app for access to music, the Apple TV app for smart TVs works on more different devices, but it's still a modest list.)

But the Apple TV app for smart TVs is not the same as a physical Apple TV - far from it - rather, it's the rough equivalent of the "TV" app that Apple provides on the physical Apple TV (I really wish they hadn't reused the name so many times - makes discussion difficult), which can play Apple content, and gateway through to other streaming subscriptions. And allow you to purchase such content. And that's all. It's basically a vehicle to allow rentals/purchases of movies and tv shows from Apple, as well as subscribing to their TV+ service.

By contrast, an actual hardware Apple TV (the latest is the ATV4K) runs tvOS, and can run all sorts of apps - streaming services, games, music apps, and such - including Apple's Arcade gaming subscription service. Practically every TV station/network has a streaming app that lets you watch their content on demand (if you have a subscription specifically to them, or a corresponding TV provider subscription). There are apps like Plex, Infuse, and VLC that will let you stream content from your own home server (which could be a NAS, Mac, PC, etc.). A lot of people use those with a local NAS in their home to store all their movies, rather than having to get up off the couch and search for the right BluRay. It also does HomeKit, and if I'm watching something, it's surprisingly useful to be able to hold down the Siri button and ask her to change the lights.

Aside from occasionally switching to broadcast TV (for SNL, the Super Bowl, the Oscars, and now, sadly, the daily state/county/city COVID briefings), my TV is basically a monitor, connected to my Apple TV. The TV itself (a 2019 4K Vizio) has a whole pile of streaming clients built in (Netflix and such), but they're all a bit more clunky and sluggish than the ones on the Apple TV (well, my experience with them is fairly limited).