Apple Music Classical makes its debut on Android, expanding reach beyond Apple iPhones

Apple Music Classical has expanded its reach by launching on the Android platform, making it the first time that Apple has brought its dedicated orchestral app to a non-Apple device. This move follows the successful debut of the service on iPhones in March. While Apple Music has been available on Android since 2015, the classical music app is separate from the mainline Apple Music app, offering distinct navigation, fonts, and metadata handling for seamless searching.

The arrival of Apple Music Classical on Android is significant because it means that Apple has chosen to expand its service to a rival platform before fully fleshing out its own hardware ecosystem. Interestingly, Apple has yet to release a dedicated iPad or Mac app for the classical music service. This departure from the typical hardware loyalty rewards that Apple is known for is a strategic move to tap into the larger user base of smartphones, which are more commonly used as streaming sources compared to computers or tablets. By reaching a wider audience outside its walled garden, Apple can attract more subscribers and potentially expand availability to its remaining in-house devices in the future.

The development of Apple Music Classical on Android is a result of Apple's acquisition of Primephonic, a renowned classical streaming service based in the Netherlands. Apple acquired the company in 2021 and subsequently shut it down. The expertise and advanced search capabilities of Primephonic have been integrated into the Apple Music Classical app, enhancing the user experience. With a library boasting over five million tracks, including thousands of exclusive albums, users can leverage the app's powerful search feature, which allows them to find pieces based on composer, work, conductor, or catalogue number. This functionality is made possible through the app's comprehensive and accurate metadata.

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Moreover, Apple Music Classical goes beyond standard audio quality by offering to stream in up to 192 kHz / 24-bit Hi-Res Lossless, supporting spatial audio and Dolby Atmos for select tracks. This high-fidelity experience provides an immersive listening journey for classical music enthusiasts. It's important to note that the service requires an Apple Music subscription. However, the voice-only plan aimed at HomePod users is not compatible with Apple Music Classical.

To access the Android version of Apple Music Classical, users need Android 9 or later. The app is available worldwide, wherever Apple Music is offered, with the exception of China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Taiwan. Users can easily download the app from the Play Store and enjoy the vast collection of classical music it offers.

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