News Summary:
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The service is rumored to be nearing completion, as it appears in the latest OS updates rolled out to developers, but the exact launch time is unknown.
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Apple is launching a new music streaming service focused on classical music. Building on the acquisition of Amsterdam-based streaming engine Primephonic in 2021, the new Apple Music Classical app will give Apple Music subscribers access to over 5 million classical music tracks, including New release features high quality sound as well as hundreds of curated playlists. thousands of exclusive albums and other features like composer biographies and deep dives into key works, Apple said.
However, even though the app was announced today, it’s currently only available for pre-order on the App Store. The release date will be later this month, March 28. Additionally, the app will only support iOS devices running iOS 15.4 or later at launch.
Instead, Apple Music Classical will have a simple interface for interacting with classical works. Users will be able to search by composer, piece, conductor or even by category number to locate recordings. They can be streamed with high quality audio up to 192kHz/24bit Hi-Res Lossless. And thousands of recordings will also be available in Apple’s Immersive Spatial Audio.
The company’s decision to target classical music listeners with a standalone app is a differentiator for its Apple Music subscription service – although it’s quite different from the features announced by rival Spotify. this week, regarding advanced features. like AI and video-based discovery streams.
The app will also allow users to drill down into sound recordings to read editorial notes about the composers and descriptions of their key works. Renowned composers will have their own high-resolution digital portraits available, which Apple has commissioned from artists. They have been designed with color palettes and artistic references from the relevant vintage period, Apple Notes and more to be added over time. At launch, portraits will be available for Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin and Johann Sebastian Bach. This service will also continue to be updated with new music from time to time.
Apple notes that it is working with classical music artists and music organizations to offer exclusive content and recordings at launch, and that will continue into the future. Users will now be able to follow news and updates regarding app and music releases on the @appleclassical Twitter account.
There is no additional cost for Apple Music Classic as it is part of an Apple Music subscription. The app will be available to subscribers on all plans, including Personal ($10.99/month), Student ($5.99/month), Family ($16.99/month) and In Apple plan One. While the service is iOS-only at launch, it will soon support Android, such as the Apple Music app.
