Google Play Music and iTunes are now together – check it out
Google Play became available on the web and to Android systems in mid 2014. Unfortunately for those on iTunes, it did not become available to them until the November. Google Play offers unlimited streaming of music to the iPhone via an app. The app is has very similar features to that of Android, but has come in a format that iPhone users will be familiar with.
The Google Play Music App
There are two versions of the app – a free version and a paid version that costs $9.99 per month. The free app will allow you to access any song you have previously backed up to the Google cloud. Google will only let you store 20,000 songs in the cloud. This should not limit your choices when you need a song on the move. The app will also provide a radio service – it automatically creates mixes from the songs in your collection.
The paid app is known as ‘All Access’. With this you are able to stream and even download any of the songs in Google’s catalogue. With over 20 million songs available you should find what you are looking for. With this app users can create their own, customizable radio without adverts. Simply select your preferred artist or album and remove any songs you don’t want. Tracks that you may enjoy are suggested and can be merged with your playlists.
Good music now at your fingertips with Google Play Music
Google has spent a lot of time ensuring their app will help you find new music. This is what makes it better than the likes of Spotify or Rdio. The explore tab is where you can find music recommendations based on Google’s algorithms. More importantly, there are also playlists under this tab which have been created by human editors. The idea is to encourage the consumer to explore and try new genres of music. Google have created two hundred starter playlists to aid their customers with this.
The radio feature on the app is also a little different. Most radio features select a playlist based on your musical tastes and it plays like a traditional radio with advert breaks. Google, however, has allowed you to edit the playlist. The playlist is still generated by the app, but you are able to scan and remove songs you do not like. It is even possible to add extra songs. The playlist is played on the radio channel but without adverts – more like a playlist than a radio station.
Related reading: best free music downloader
Why the delay?
Considering the app is, in essence, very similar to the Android and the web based version released much earlier, you may wonder why it took so long to be released. The first thing to note is that Apple takes 30% of any in-app sale. Google did not query this; they simply do not offer the opportunity to purchase music through the app. The official reason for the delay is that time was required to polish the app to the standard Google and the consumer expect. Issues with streaming and integration with Chromecast were the main problems. With these solved the app can stream music at up to 320kbps and can connect to other devices via Bluetooth or AirPlay.
There are features on the Android version which is not yet available on the iPhone but Google is working to resolve this. The main one is the ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ radio station. This creates an instant playlist, using your preferences to decide the songs. The intention is to add these features in the near future. An additional point to note and possibly a sore point for Google; is the absence of the ‘shop’ tab. The web and Android systems both display this prominently; with the app you need to buy your songs online first – maybe a little old-fashioned but good business sense.
This is the guest post by Christopher Austin and Parking Games 365!
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