iOS 18 Apple Music App to Get Smarter Song Transitions

[ZipZilla]

"Crossfade" is completely useless in Apple Music. Here is exactly what this needs:

The next song needs to start before the first song fades out and *then* fade out. Essentially, you need endless music without a drop in sound level, like a radio station. Get it right, Apple!

 

[needsomecoffee]

Just spent $24.95 for Swinsian. It is not perfection, but I was so frustrated with Apple Music. Tim... when a decades-long customer spends $25 to STOP USING APPLE MUSIC, and the app is not great JUST MUCH GREATER THAN APPLE MUSIC, might be time to rethink you approach to sofware/services.

 

[macduke]

What would be cool is if they could use AI to match BPM and smoothly transition from one song to the next, like a DJ.

 

[notai]

never ever wantcrossfade

 

[scorpio vega]

Is this a joke?!?
With all the requests from the community (yours truly included) and the promise of an AI Overhaul, is this all we can look forward to?!?

What's next for iOS 18? Updated clock face for the Clock app? Oooooh, exiting stuff!

No, Wait. I guess, that would be "Apple is presently working on planning to consider testing a new clock face...or maybe just the clock hands"

You do realize June isn’t here yet. I would hope all the features wouldn’t be leaked now. At least wait till June to whine about it lol

 

[scorpio vega]

Apple users will gaslight you that Apple will take their time to get things right and polished before releasing anything. Then, of course, when it is released it will be super buggy. 🤣

No worse than android users bragging about they have more features and most features are half baked or worse it’s yet another app google will inevitably kill.

 

[wouwout]

I’ve moved from iPhone to samsungs fold but kep Apple Music. The android Apple Music app is being used for testing new iOS features and have been using 12 second transitions for a while now. about 20% of the longer transitions are still pretty bad.

 

[GrayFlannel]

Hoping for some sort of algorithm change or "AI" features in music like generating a playlist with "AI"—my suggestions, station, etc. are full of songs I don't like at all

Why would generating a playlist require AI? Hasn’t suggested music and movie suggestions been around for years? You know, ‘you might also be interested in….”.

 

[MallardDuck]

Wow...this feature takes a lot of courage.

Maybe the leak of all these nits is because they actually have something big to talk about at WWDC? If not...well, AAPL isn't going to look very good that afternoon.

Talk to me when my homepod can send music to my stereo (that's connected to my apple TV).

 

[Remy149]

Spatial Audio is already a thing in console gaming both Ps5 and Xbox Series consoles can output Dolby atmosphere for games. Games that are developed with this in mind sound great and it adds to immersion. It would especially benefit vr games in Apple Vision Pro if and when they come. Most Sony first party games are developed with Spatial Audio

 

[Remy149]

Hoping for some sort of algorithm change or "AI" features in music like generating a playlist with "AI"—my suggestions, station, etc. are full of songs I don't like at all

I really have a disconnect with people who prefer algorithms to curate their music. Maybe I’m to much in touch with my exact tastes that I can’t imagine not using my own personal built playlists when I do listen to one. I have many playlists I’ve been adding and removing songs from since my first iPod.

 

[Remy149]

Wow...this feature takes a lot of courage.

Maybe the leak of all these nits is because they actually have something big to talk about at WWDC? If not...well, AAPL isn't going to look very good that afternoon.

Talk to me when my homepod can send music to my stereo (that's connected to my apple TV).

You can always just play music directly from the Apple TV like I always do

 

[eifelbube]

AppleInsider says that Apple is also working on a new feature called "Passthrough" for Apple Music and QuickTime Player, but there is no information on what this feature is. The site suggests that it is related to Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos.
…

Called “Spatial Passfade”.
Settings > Music > Passfade:
ending/starting song fade out/in options: left right front center back top bottom

Settings can be overridden for opposite directions with sudden head movement when wearing AirPods, for example, quick head up shake makes song fade out via top, new song fades in from bottom 😊

 

[Jay Bly]

What would be cool is if they could use AI to match BPM and smoothly transition from one song to the next, like a DJ.

yeah, if there was a way to just a few second beat match that would be amazing. There were some other services a while ago. I did a pretty good job with us.

 

[ApAx]

Ever since I learned that some albums have songs that transition into the next song seamlessly, I turned off crossfade, probably 14 years ago or so.

I don’t get why you’d ever want this anyway. Most songs fade out so you’re not losing much at the end of one song, but surely you’re losing the first few notes of the next song, which are often quite impactful?

Many of the concept albums from the classic/prog rock eras are meant to be played with no transition. The music was written for a continuous vinyl groove. Crossfade only makes sense for a shuffled playlist or where album tracks are disjointed as a collection of individual songs.

 

[hugogogo2003]

It's also crazy that in 2024 you still need a Mac if you want to add a song to your library from independent artists selling their songs on third party websites or offering them for free from Soundcloud. It's crazy an iPad or iPhone still cannot do that but with a Mac it takes one second to do.

 

[krell100]

Gave up on waiting for Apple Music to become a true modern music hub. Says something when users are prepared to pay more elsewhere to avoid using a really crap (Mac) app.

 

[jz0309]

I grew up in the vinyl days, then tapes, CDs … “transition/fading” wasn’t really a thing, and that’s just fine with me

 

[CPx]

Wait, I had no idea that Crossfade has been added to the iOS Music App. It's been a missing basic (and expected) feature for years. I guess it was quietly added in a relatively recent update, or I've just not been paying close enough attention.

Speaking of the Music App, Crossfade still does not work via AirPlay and it's spotty with AirPods unless you kind of trick it by toggling the audio source on and off (not sure if this is due to running Boom as well). Music is also one of the most neglected apps on macOS, but I guess that's for another thread.

How do you trick it into working? You're talking about using a Mac right? I've tried some things but only ever achieved it by accident. The aggravating thing is crossfade used to work with Airpods on a Mac years ago. Then Apple changed it! (It works on iPhone now, but bring it back to the Mac please!)

 

[wbeasley]

Just spent $24.95 for Swinsian. It is not perfection, but I was so frustrated with Apple Music. Tim... when a decades-long customer spends $25 to STOP USING APPLE MUSIC, and the app is not great JUST MUCH GREATER THAN APPLE MUSIC, might be time to rethink you approach to sofware/services.

so what features did you now get to make the pain of switching worthwhile?

took me years to ditch Spotify and move to AM.
took a tool to import my Playlists (and do a 99% good job of it).
the better quality files - something long promised by Spotify - are one big gain.

and the way Spotify behave with the EU stick against Apple was enough to make me look around again. it was time to move along.

i keep their free account as a back up and it's rare to use it.

 

[wbeasley]

I grew up in the vinyl days, then tapes, CDs … “transition/fading” wasn’t really a thing, and that’s just fine with me

CDs made it too easy to skip. as does streaming.
no wonder album purists hate it.

 

[zapmymac]

I just want GAPLESS playback to work every single time.


Heck, I'll even take it solely in Apple Music, vs. my ripped stuff or iTunes Match.

25 years old is itunes
9 years old is Apple Music

Since Apple publicly loves music one would think that they could get this to work 100% of the time 🤯🤬

 

[F-Trunks]

so much GD courage.

 

[t0rqx]

After 10 years Siriable to make screen recordings.

After 5 years Apple Music is able to transition songs.

Innovation at best!

 

[hagar]

I just want the iOS Apple Music app to have the automatic cross play setting that the Android app has had for years

What does the Android version have that iOS doesn’t? The crossfade option does its job just fine.