More for the ear: Google music takes on Apple Music, Saavn
NEWDELHI: Google is finally making the Play Music subscription service available in India, which allows users access to a fullfledged music streaming service on smartphones and PCs. The feature was earlier available only to users in select countries, including the US. Indian users can access the streaming service on the Play Music app on their Android phones, Apple iPhones and the Play Music website at a monthly subscription fee of ₹89, but this is an introductory price if you sign up for it before May 18.
It is also offering a 14-day free trial to provide users with a hang of what it offers.
Apple Music charges a monthly subscription fee of ₹20 but offers three months of free trial. Saavn follows a slightly different model, where it has an ad-supported but free subscription or the more standard paid tier that costs ₹99 per month and provides the option to download music for offline access and removes advertisements.
MEDLEY OF INDIAN, GLOBAL CONTENT
Google claims, Play Music provides access to 40 million songs without advertisements. Music from Bollywood movies, Hindi albums and regional language movies is available in plenty.
Saavn, which offers 30 million songs, also lays more emphasis on content from Hindi and regional languages, even though it is not lacking in international music. Apple Music, which has over 40 million songs in its library, has beefed up its India content library, but offers more exclusive content by signing up directly with artists.
SIMPLE LAYOUT
Play Music has a simple but colourful interface. The home page is divided into categories such as today’s Top Albums, Boosting your energy and College Jukebox. The hidden panel on the right shows more conventional categories such as Recent, Top Charts, New Releases and Browse Stations. There is a category for your phone’s offline music gallery as well.
In Saavn, the categories are marked with posters from albums or movies. The home page shows more categories such as Radio Stations, Top Songs, Hindi Chartbusters, English Chartbusters and New and Trending.
Apple’s Music’s homepage has suggestions for users on top, followed by albums picked up by Apple based on your listening preferences. There’s an option where you can comment as well.
SETTINGS
Subscribers of Play Music can adjust the quality of music playback on mobile and WiFi network. This means users can switch to lower quality audio to save data on cellular connection. Saavn also has a similar feature, but doesn’t offer separate options for cellular or WiFi connection as Play Music does.
Apple Music offers the option to download music only on WiFi, and the option to play music at lower quality on cellular connection.