Apple Music Classical Launches on Android

pcmag.com:

Apple Music’s standalone classical app is now available on Android(Opens in a new window).

Apple Music Classical lands on Android for those with an Apple Music subscription about two months after it arrived on iPhone. As 9to5Mac notes(Opens in a new window), the streaming service launches on Google's mobile OS before some of Apple's other platforms, like iPad or Mac.

Apple Music Classical streams up to 192 kHz and 24-bit Hi-Res Lossless audio, and supports sound enhancements such as spatial audio and Dolby Atmos for some tracks. For less seasoned fans of classical music, the app offers hundreds of Essentials playlists, composer biographies, as well as deep-dive guides for many key works. 

In our 3.5/5-star review of Apple Music Classical (for iPhone) we observed that it was a "fine offering" for classical aficionados who already subscribe to the higher-end tiers of Apple Music. Classical music app competitor Idagio, however, boasts superior search options, while Qobuz has higher-quality recordings. 

To listen to Apple Music Classical on Android, you must have an Apple Music subscription—specifically, an Individual ($10.99/month), Student ($5.99/month), Family ($16.99/month), or Apple One plan. Subscribers to Apple Music’s voice-only tier ($4.99/month) need to upgrade to those other tiers in order to bathe in some Bach.

Apple's classical ambitions date back to 2021, when it acquired (and shut down) Dutch classical streaming service Primephonic. Apple Music Classical borrows some of its features, like a search bar that lets users to find music based on composer, conductor, work, or catalog number. 

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