Though the subscription base free music space was created a while ago and we ( in India ) had the players like Saavn and Gaana providing free songs with either Advertisement or at a monthly subscription bases but they were never able to really shine because of the limited and low speed data connectivity, but all that changed with the launch of Reliance Jio last year. Now there is a abundance of data on mobile, it might not be enough to download and watch full HD movies every day, but it is enough to download and listen to music. Average human almost listen to same songs everyday, which phase out slowly with one or two songs taking their place per day or less.
With this internet revolution two more big player join the pool of the subscription base song service and they have unlimited resources, machine learning ability and cash to burn and potential to become number one in this space.
Google and Apple.
Apple obviously started the digital music revolution in west, but lagged in subscription based music model, google is also new to this space. Both of them offer similar services, but apple has a unique ability that is its integration with its desktop music player itunes.
They are similar in may ways like,
On the other hand google music experience is seamless on the Android, with major advantages like,
Google and Apple.
Apple obviously started the digital music revolution in west, but lagged in subscription based music model, google is also new to this space. Both of them offer similar services, but apple has a unique ability that is its integration with its desktop music player itunes.
They are similar in may ways like,
- Subscription base music service, pay once a month or year and get access to unlimited music in their repositories.
- Both offer ability to upload personal music, in case it is not there in their repository to cloud. Apple via itunes and Google via google music manager.
- Both have similar apps for Andorid and iphone.
- Both offer similar type of radio channels, top songs and public playlist.
- Both cache listing music (on phone or sd card, you choose in options) automatically so, if you do repeated playback of a song it won't cost you data.
That is pretty much similarity as far as services goes, where these application really differ is on the basis of experience. Where as google develop lots of app for iOS and pretty good at it, Apple have only 2 apps on Android, Move to iOS and Apple Music and apple clearly don't know how to develop for android.
"Apple music have potential but that is eclipsed by pathetic interface/implementation on android platform."
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| Apple Music |
Apple music have potential but that is eclipsed by pathetic interface/implementation on android platform. with less than two hundred thousand downloads and only 3.5 stars on play store, it is plagued with issues, like
- Music downloads are unpredictable. Will it happen, When will it happen, such a suspense.
- Does not handle slow connection well, a playlist get downloaded asynchronously and if a playing song hangs it just get skipped in between to play next half downloaded song.
- Unable to create apple id from app, it just crashes. So adding your family to apple music is pain.
- There are many bugs and general usability issues, its like Apple is bad at design.
- It is online only, if you have a local music on your phone folder apple music will just ignore it.
If you compare plan prices apple is way cheaper for family, but on boarding is just pain, though apple music app give option to create an apple id, it crashed when you try to create one.
I don't think apple is serious about it android app, and it seems like it is being developed by unpaid interns at Apple. After Airtel Wynk music, this is the by far the worst music app I have ever used.
The only advantage and plus point of the Apple music app is, itunes integration, the music, playlists you add to library or download in Apple Music app will show up in desktop itunes and will be available off line and itunes is simply the best music player available for desktop (if you are interested in paid or subscribed content) and itunes provide better sound quality on desktop than a web player, so if you are serious about the music quality in a very pro way,
"Google Music lags a desktop music player, only way to play a google music songs on desktop is via browser, and if your internet is not working listen to cached/downloaded music on phone or turn on the radio."
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| Google Music |
- Amazing integration with google assistant, just say "Play, song name", and it will play the songs.
- Though the play store rating for google music is also not that great with just 3.9 stars and it is a bolt ware, but this application is capable of playing local music at sd card or phone memory but really shines if you use it online player
- It automatically cache your songs, able to detect your recent playlists and show them on top. Have a good song suggestion and top hit lists.
- Integration with youtube, many songs which are only released on youtube also showup in search hence making it repository the ultimate one.
However,
Google Music lags a desktop music player, only way to play a google music songs on desktop is via browser, and if your internet is not working listen to cached/downloaded music on phone or turn on the radio.
Though there are open source attempt to make a desktop player for google music, but it is just electron browser wrapper with few additional hacks, google won't allow you to download subscription music on PC.
Though you can download the purchased music via Google music manager, but music manager is in it self is a very simple and a bare minimum buggy app!, which if don't work will give you cryptic errors with no resolution. There is a very minimum online support for it also.
Conclusion
So if your android phone is your primary mode of listening to music google music is way to go.
But if you have fallen in love with desktop itunes (because no other desktop music player come close) and a Android user, you are gonna suffer in agony, because android Apple Music app just sucks at the moment (hopefully apple improve it in future)
It is my personal opinion but it seems like itunes provide better sound quality than google music does. To achieve a true potential of cloud, you have to be connected always, which google does the best, but that where it lags also, as it does not offer a offline music player like itunes, because sometimes working in a cafe on a slow 4g connection you just want to plug in to your Bose Noise Canceling headphones in your laptop and listen away, that is just not happening with Google Music "Web" always streaming music.
It is my personal opinion but it seems like itunes provide better sound quality than google music does. To achieve a true potential of cloud, you have to be connected always, which google does the best, but that where it lags also, as it does not offer a offline music player like itunes, because sometimes working in a cafe on a slow 4g connection you just want to plug in to your Bose Noise Canceling headphones in your laptop and listen away, that is just not happening with Google Music "Web" always streaming music.
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