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The pros and cons of subscribing to Apple Music
Apple Music has two big advantages over rival streaming services: Apple Lossless and Spatial Audio. The former delivers CD-quality streaming instead of the compressed music some other services deliver, and Spatial Audio delivers a three-dimensional effect that can make you feel you’re right there in the studio with the artist. It’s particularly good on AirPods Pro and Max.
Apple Music is £9.99/month or £4.99/ month for the Voice Plan, which is only controllable via Siri. Apple Music is also included in every Apple One subscription. Every family member has their own playlists and preferences, and if you have HomePod minis they can recognise voices and use the appropriate account.
The downside is: if you stop paying, it stops playing. The music you’re listening to, with the exception of your own library tracks that have been uploaded to the iCloud Music Library, is only rented. You might also find that, as with other streaming providers, tracks may be removed from the service: for example, some artists are currently in dispute with the Apple Music rival Spotify and have pulled their music. The solution? Stream everything but buy the legal downloads or CDs of the artists you want to support and the music you want to keep.