Apple Music: Everything you need to know about Apple’s music service
If you’re at home in the Apple universe, you can’t avoid Apple Music. Launched in 2015, Apple’s music streaming service now has 80 million subscribers. In this article, you will learn all about Apple Music.
How much does Apple Music cost?
What do I need for Apple Music?
What distinguishes Apple Music from Spotify and Co.
More features of Apple Music
How do I subscribe to Apple Music?
How do I cancel Apple Music?
How much does Apple Music cost?
Like Spotify, Apple Music costs CHF 12.90 per month. Anyone who buys a new iPhone, HomePod Mini, AirPods or Beats headphones can get up to 6 free months. But even those who don’t own a new Apple device can enjoy a one-month trial period. In the past, even three free months were included.
| Streaming service | Pricing | More subscriptions | ||
| Single subscription | Student | Family | ||
| Apple Music | CHF 12.90 per month | CHF 7.50 | CHF 19.90 (up to 6 persons) | Voice (not available in CH) |
| Spotify | CHF 12.95 per month | CHF 6.49 | CHF 20.95 (up to 6 persons) | Duo: CHF 16.95 (for 2 accounts) |
| Deezer | CHF 10,75*CHF 96.71* per year | CHF 5,86* | CHF 16,62* | |
| TIDAL | HiFi: CHF 9,77*HiFi Plus: CHF 19.55* | HiFi: CHF 4,88*HiFi Plus: CHF 9.77* | HiFi family subscription: CHF 14.66* (up to 6 people)HiFi Family Subscription Plus: CHF 29.35* (up to 6 people) | |
| Amazon Music | CHF 9.99 | |||
| YouTube Music (formerly Google Play Music) | Basic subscription: free of charge with advertising interruptionsPremium: CHF 12.90 | CHF 19.99 (up to 6 people) | ||
* no CHF prices available. The conversion rate is as follows: 1 Euro = 0.9786 Swiss Franc. 2 September 2022
What do I need for Apple Music?
Contrary to what you might fear, you don’t need an Apple device to use Apple Music – the Apple Music app is also available for Android smartphones. All you need to subscribe is an Apple ID and your payment details. Otherwise, the app can be used with all current Apple devices, including the HomePod or Apple TV.
What distinguishes Apple Music from other streaming services like Spotify?
As you will have gathered from the table above, each streaming service has its own strengths and weaknesses. While Spotify’s Rewind is very popular and TIDAL advertises high-fidelity sound, it is Apple Music’s deep integration into the ecosystem that makes it so popular. With Siri, you can call up your favourite music in a few seconds on the HomePod, Apple TV or CarPlay. The Music app is also pre-installed on all iPhones, iPads and Macs.
What features does Apple Music have?
In addition to the deep integration into the Apple ecosystem, Apple’s music service comes with other features that are not necessarily Apple Music exclusive, but that you can use if you subscribe to Apple Music.
3D audio with Dolby Atmos
Once you’ve experienced Dolby Atmos, you won’t want to go back. 3D audio with Dolby Atmos results in a fuller sound that, if the songs support it, comes from all sides instead of just left and right as is the case with stereo.
Head Tracking
Head Tracking “observes” your head movements and controls the music accordingly. So if you move your head to the right, the music will come more from the left.
Lossless audio
Many of the Apple Music songs are now “lossless”, which means that the songs arrive in your ears uncompressed. Note however, that lossless audio consumes significantly more data volume than songs with compressed quality.
Siri support
“Hey Siri, play rock ‘n’ roll music.” Access your songs, playlists and favourite radio stations with your voice and Apple’s voice assistant.
Lyrics in real time
With this feature, you can instantly see where you are when listening to music – so you can sing along, share your favourite verses or even understand what is being sung.
CarPlay
If you own a car with a supported operating system, you can also access your Apple Music library on the road.
Live radio station
Those who speak English and/or enjoy listening to foreign radio can try one of the many exclusive Apple Music radio stations.
Apple Music on Apple Watch
If you own an Apple Watch, you can also save your favourite playlists and songs on the smartwatch and listen to them from there. You no longer need to carry your smartphone with you.
How do I subscribe to Apple Music?
Subscribing to Apple Music is easy. All you need is an Apple ID and a common payment method like a credit card. Then go to the Music app on your iPhone, Android or Windows PC. There you can try out your trial month(s). Note, however, that if you cancel your subscription before the end of the trial period, you will have to pay to reactivate it later.
How do I cancel Apple Music?
Unsubscribing from Apple Music is just as easy as subscribing. To cancel, simply go to the “Listen Now” tab and then click on your profile picture in the top right-hand corner. Then tap on “Manage subscription” and follow the instructions.
Conclusion: The matching headphones for Apple Music also come from Apple
You see them more and more: AirPods. Despite initial criticism and toothbrush comparisons, the small headphones have quickly become a success and revolutionised the in-ear world. Since their launch at the end of 2016, numerous other manufacturers have followed suit and brought their own Bluetooth-based in-ear headphones onto the market. Read our AirPods article to find out more about Apple’s headphones and what makes them different.
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