Apple Music Has a New Home on the Web

Developers and site owners have been able to use functionality from Apple to host features of Apple Music on the web for a little while now. I wrote about Musish few months ago as an example of this. Unfortunately, this isn’t quite the same thing as the real thing. As of today, knockoffs are no longer necessary, as Apple’s music streaming service now has a new home on the net. Just visit https://beta.music.apple.com to see what Apple Music looks like without an app.

Why is this important? Because having a web interface for a service means that it is no longer exclusively tethered to apps. This now allows Windows users like myself to be able to use Apple Music without an Apple device close at hand. Even if you do have one, this also gives you the choice to listen elsewhere, which is always good. Likewise, any Android user who prefers Apple Music to Spotify or YouTube can also access the service without a device.

Let’s be honest. This is far from revolutionary. In fact, Apple Music is the only major music streaming service that didn’t already have a web interface available. However, it was clear that Apple was initially aiming to keep the Apple Music experience bound to apps. However, it’s about time that it broke free of those chains.

There is one aspect of this development that is notable. While Apple has offered web-based versions of its iWork apps along with Mail, Notes and Find My iPhone at iCloud.com, Apple Music becomes the first of Apple’s major new services to hit the web. Considering its wider popularity and Apple’s current emphasis on services, this is definitely worth paying attention to, as it could be a sign of things to come.

Hopefully Apple Music is just the start and we will also see web versions of News+ and maybe, just maybe even Apple TV+. It certainly makes sense, as the more widely available they are, the more appealing Apple’s new services will be to those who are on the fringes, or even outside of its ecosystem.

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Post tags: apple music, Apple Music web interface