Relaunched Apple Music 'beta' web player features new 'Listen Now' tab

AppleInsider

Apple this week relaunched a beta version of the Apple Music web player with a few tweaks that bring the service in line with corresponding app versions set to debut as part of iOS 14 and macOS Big Sur.

Beta version of Apple Music on the web.

The updated beta site includes a new content navigation section called "Listen Now," which replaces the "For You" tab currently seen on the public-facing Apple Music web player.

"Listen Now" operates in a similar manner to the content suggestion feature that will ship with iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and macOS Big Sur this fall. A "For You" page replacement, the new category offers personalized song and album recommendations, curated playlists and other targeted content to better suit user listening tastes.

"Listen Now" is also the new home for Apple Music Replay lists, which collect subscribers' most-played tracks for the year in browsable playlists. The feature aggregates annual listening data back to 2015.

In addition to "Listen Now," the beta version of Apple Music's web player sports a redesigned interface that takes cues from the Apple Music app set to debut this fall. Red line drawings replace colorful icons for "Browse," "Radio" and content library playlists, while large preview panels populate the "Top Picks" section in "Listen Now." Animated art draws the eye to special "Mix" playlists.

The relaunched beta site was spotted by 9to5Mac earlier today.

Apple Music's web portal first launched in beta form nearly one year ago before exiting testing in April 2020. The online service provides subscriber flexible access to content libraries, curated recommendations, streaming radio and more without a dedicated app.

heli0s

Why is there a Apple Music website that nobody uses but there isn’t Apple Music on Nest Home devices that millions of people have in their homes? This Apple-Google war is great....for Spotify

heli0s

I'm genuinely curious why Apple thought they should devote resources to creating this web portal for Apple Music. 

Beats

heli0s said:

Why is there a Apple Music website that nobody uses but there isn’t Apple Music on Nest Home devices that millions of people have in their homes? This Apple-Google war is great....for Spotify

You can listen to music on thermometers? 

heli0s

Beats said:

heli0s said:

Why is there a Apple Music website that nobody uses but there isn’t Apple Music on Nest Home devices that millions of people have in their homes? This Apple-Google war is great....for Spotify

You can listen to music on thermometers? 

It's "thermostats" and Nest is now the new name for Google Home devices. 

ihatescreennames

heli0s said:

I'm genuinely curious why Apple thought they should devote resources to creating this web portal for Apple Music. 

It’s an expected feature of a streaming music service. I used to work with a guy who would log into his Spotify account through their web site first thing upon arriving at work. It was a shared computer and anyone could use his account from then on. I expect similar uses for the AM web player. 

Gotta love all the double standards around Apple. “Apple Music sucks because they don’t have a web player like Spotify” “Apple wasted money by making a Apple Music web player because nobody will use it.”

Basically, if Apple doesn’t offer X feature, people complain that Apple doesn’t provide it. When Apple provides X feature people complain that it sucks compared to third party offerings. When Apple improves X feature people complain that they are screwing over third party developers. 

Beats

heli0s said:

Beats said:

heli0s said:

Why is there a Apple Music website that nobody uses but there isn’t Apple Music on Nest Home devices that millions of people have in their homes? This Apple-Google war is great....for Spotify

You can listen to music on thermometers? 

It's "thermostats" and Nest is now the new name for Google Home devices. 

Oh. RIP. To be discontinued.

Beats

ihatescreennames said:

heli0s said:

I'm genuinely curious why Apple thought they should devote resources to creating this web portal for Apple Music. 

It’s an expected feature of a streaming music service. I used to work with a guy who would log into his Spotify account through their web site first thing upon arriving at work. It was a shared computer and anyone could use his account from then on. I expect similar uses for the AM web player. 

Gotta love all the double standards around Apple. “Apple Music sucks because they don’t have a web player like Spotify” “Apple wasted money by making a Apple Music web player because nobody will use it.”

Basically, if Apple doesn’t offer X feature, people complain that Apple doesn’t provide it. When Apple provides X feature people complain that it sucks compared to third party offerings. When Apple improves X feature people complain that they are screwing over third party developers. 

Apple is also held to a higher standard. Samsung/Google/etc. can rush a turd to market and people will praise them. Apple has to release 100% finished products day one.

ITGUYINSD

Beats said:

ihatescreennames said:

heli0s said:

I'm genuinely curious why Apple thought they should devote resources to creating this web portal for Apple Music. 

It’s an expected feature of a streaming music service. I used to work with a guy who would log into his Spotify account through their web site first thing upon arriving at work. It was a shared computer and anyone could use his account from then on. I expect similar uses for the AM web player. 

Gotta love all the double standards around Apple. “Apple Music sucks because they don’t have a web player like Spotify” “Apple wasted money by making a Apple Music web player because nobody will use it.”

Basically, if Apple doesn’t offer X feature, people complain that Apple doesn’t provide it. When Apple provides X feature people complain that it sucks compared to third party offerings. When Apple improves X feature people complain that they are screwing over third party developers. 

Apple is also held to a higher standard. Samsung/Google/etc. can rush a turd to market and people will praise them. Apple has to release 100% finished products day one.

What "turd" was rushed to market that people (a majority) praises?

Beats

ITGUYINSD said:

Beats said:

ihatescreennames said:

heli0s said:

I'm genuinely curious why Apple thought they should devote resources to creating this web portal for Apple Music. 

It’s an expected feature of a streaming music service. I used to work with a guy who would log into his Spotify account through their web site first thing upon arriving at work. It was a shared computer and anyone could use his account from then on. I expect similar uses for the AM web player. 

Gotta love all the double standards around Apple. “Apple Music sucks because they don’t have a web player like Spotify” “Apple wasted money by making a Apple Music web player because nobody will use it.”

Basically, if Apple doesn’t offer X feature, people complain that Apple doesn’t provide it. When Apple provides X feature people complain that it sucks compared to third party offerings. When Apple improves X feature people complain that they are screwing over third party developers. 

Apple is also held to a higher standard. Samsung/Google/etc. can rush a turd to market and people will praise them. Apple has to release 100% finished products day one.

What "turd" was rushed to market that people (a majority) praises?

The latest example I can think of is Galaxy Fold. Praised as "brave" and "innovative'" even though it was crapped out after Apple patented a foldable display.

Rayz2016

heli0s said:

Why is there a Apple Music website that nobody uses but there isn’t Apple Music on Nest Home devices that millions of people have in their homes? This Apple-Google war is great....for Spotify

So you’re saying that more people have access to a Nest Home device than have access to a web browser?

(Typed on a web browser, no Nest device in sight)

mike1

heli0s said:

I'm genuinely curious why Apple thought they should devote resources to creating this web portal for Apple Music. 

Kidding, right? How about millions of office PCs where iTunes cannot be installed. I use my phone all day, so using it to stream music at work is just inconvenient.

I pay for the Apple Music subscription anyway, why shouldn't I be able to access it the most convenient way possible?

heli0s

Rayz2016 said:

heli0s said:

Why is there a Apple Music website that nobody uses but there isn’t Apple Music on Nest Home devices that millions of people have in their homes? This Apple-Google war is great....for Spotify

So you’re saying that more people have access to a Nest Home device than have access to a web browser?

(Typed on a web browser, no Nest device in sight)

What I’m saying is that most people listen to Apple Music or Spotify on mobile devices and through the apps. Desktop is far far smaller down the list, if you look at the data. Everyone had an anecdote how “But my coworker logs in to his windows PC and is using Apple Music!” - those are exactly that- anecdotes. 

Apple Music is on Echo devices, smart TVs (even from Samsung) yet it’s not on Google’s smart speakers or smart displays. I’m sure there is a “privacy” argument but the reality is that Amazon likely does the same stuff with Alexa that Google would do with their Assistant when it comes to searching a music catalog. This just feels like a spiteful move given smart TVs are notorious for tracking everything you do and AM is there as a built in app. 

The key to a successful service is to available on all your devices regardless of platform. If AM is on Android, why can’t they add it to the second largest smart home platform in the world? Keeping it out won’t sell more HomePods, that’s for sure- it will just push people to competitors that work. 

Rayz2016

heli0s said:

Rayz2016 said:

heli0s said:

Why is there a Apple Music website that nobody uses but there isn’t Apple Music on Nest Home devices that millions of people have in their homes? This Apple-Google war is great....for Spotify

So you’re saying that more people have access to a Nest Home device than have access to a web browser?

(Typed on a web browser, no Nest device in sight)

What I’m saying is that most people listen to Apple Music or Spotify on mobile devices and through the apps. Desktop is far far smaller down the list, if you look at the data. Everyone had an anecdote how “But my coworker logs in to his windows PC and is using Apple Music!” - those are exactly that- anecdotes. 

Apple Music is on Echo devices, smart TVs (even from Samsung) yet it’s not on Google’s smart speakers or smart displays. I’m sure there is a “privacy” argument but the reality is that Amazon likely does the same stuff with Alexa that Google would do with their Assistant when it comes to searching a music catalog. This just feels like a spiteful move given smart TVs are notorious for tracking everything you do and AM is there as a built in app. 

The key to a successful service is to available on all your devices regardless of platform. If AM is on Android, why can’t they add it to the second largest smart home platform in the world? Keeping it out won’t sell more HomePods, that’s for sure- it will just push people to competitors that work. 

Right, right, I see what you’re saying. I didn’t realise AM was already on Amazon. 

Either Apple is trying to charge money for it, or Google is demanding the blood type of every Apple customer before they’ll allow it.