Apple brings beta version of Apple Music to Android

11 Nov 2015

In what could be music to Android users' ears and a bum note for rivals like Spotify, Apple Music is now on Google Play.

You thought it would never happen, but it has. In a move that is reminiscent of Apple’s decision more than a decade ago to open iTunes up to PCs, Apple has brought a beta version of Apple Music to the Android ecosystem.

Apple yesterday released a beta version of Apple Music for Android users and it can now be accessed on Google Play. Users need Android 4.3 or above to download the new Apple Music beta from the Google Play Store.

As a result, Android users can now commence a similar three-month trial of Apple Music that iOS users were invited to during the summer.

However, there are some restrictions, insofar as music videos are not yet available and upgrading to a family membership requires a Mac or iOS devices.

Music to Android users’ ears?

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The move opens Android users up to the new musical world Apple has devised to compete with platforms like Spotify, Rdio and Pandora. Apple Music was built on top of Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics over a year ago for $3bn.

It opens Android users up to the new Beats 1 radio service, iTunes music purchases and specially curated playlists created by a new troupe of tastemakers comprising musicians and DJs.

Since Apple Music launched in June as a $10 a month service some 6.5m have signed up as paying members with a further 8.5m taking part in the three-month trial.

This is not bad going when you consider the service is just a few months old and compares with Spotify’s 25m current paying members.

Bringing Apple Music to the Android Play ecosystem steps the competition up a gear significantly.

Apple Music image via Shutterstock

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com