AIRPLAY 2: MUSIC MULTIPLIED

APPLE CONTINUES THEIR LEGACY

For many of us, the first piece of Apple tech we owned was an iPod, used in conjunction with iTunes. Apple has long been the king of music, and technology, and strives to create a seamless integration across all Apple products, and the latest addition to the Apple family does just that. AirPlay 2 works to create a seamless transition between our devices and allows multi-room control directly from your iPhone.

AIRPLAY 2 IS ABOUT TO SHIP

Apple AirPlay 2 is the latest version of the AirPlay protocol, and it is finally on its way. The original AirPlay was first introduced in 2010, so it is certainly outdated, and finally it will feature universal device support. It allows you to share music from your MacBook or iPhone to your Apple TV or third-party speaker, for example. Users will finally be able to control all their AirPlay speakers from their iPhone. This is something that could previously be done through a MacBook via iTunes, but not on an iOS device.

CONTROL YOUR AIRPLAY 2 DEVICES FROM SIRI

AirPlay 2 still hasn’t shipped, however, the feature has been a much discussed success in recent betas, and its most impressive aspect it perhaps its ability to control audio playback on one device from Siri on another device! This means you can ask Siri on your iPhone to play music on another device, as long as it is an AirPlay 2 speaker. Currently, AirPlay speakers only include Apple TV 4 and Apple TV 4K

running tvOS 11.4, however, soon HomePod should also be included. This is likely to be timed with the release of iOS and tvOS 11.4. Thirdparty AirPlay 2 speakers will also undoubtedly be available in the future.

HAVE CONTROL OVER YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE WITH AIRPLAY 2

The new release of AirPlay 2 will also finally allow Apple to compete with the likes of Sonos, Google and Amazon, by offering multi-room audio streaming options. This feature isn’t currently available through the iOS 11.4 beta, although the app does include a “create Stereo Pair” feature, it just doesn’t work yet. This new feature would allow you to play the tunes you’re listening to upstairs on your HomePod on your Apple TV downstairs, just using your iPhone. Apple has long been the king of all things tech and music and this latest AirPlay update will only help it continue to offer their customers the best possible service.

APPLE MUSIC VS SPOTIFY

During their keynote address, Apple gave demos of AirPlay 2 using Apple Music, however, it is highly likely others will work alongside the new technology. Music has always been an integral part of Apple and Apple Music works across Apple’s devices on HomePod, iPhones, iPad, Apple TV and more. Since Apple Music’s official release in 2015, speculation have arisen over how long it would take Apple to dominate the streaming world and blow Spotify out the water. Spotify, however, have put up a fierce battle and still remains the king of on-demand streaming music in terms of subscribers.

In early May, Spotify announced their platform had a total of 75 million paying subscriber. Towards the end of last year, Apple Music had less than half this number, at 20 million subscribers, but now has reached an impressive 40 million monthly subscribers. Apple’s streaming service has grown impressively considering it went live 9 years after Spotify. Some predict Apple Music could overtake its rival by the summer.

APPLE MUSIC AND SPOTIFY FIGHT FOR STREAMING DOMINATION

Spotify boasts an impressive 30 million plus songs, and claims to add more than 20,000 new songs each day. Spotify is known for its playlists and even updates its New Releases tab daily, showcasing up and coming music. Apple Music, however, appears to offer more, claiming to hold 40 million songs, although it is not clear how big the margin really is. Apple Music also does not offer a free subscription, which has

allowed it to secure exclusive artists. However, these tend to appear on both services after only a few weeks, as was the case with Taylor Swift’s latest album.

Apple Music has also successfully integrated their service with iTunes. Any previous music you bought through iTunes will also appear in your Apple Music library. Spotify somewhat offers this service by allowing your local music files to appear in a separate tab, however, you can’t access your local music through broad searches as you can with Apple Music.

Apple Music is also rapidly building their music video section, while Spotify does not include music videos, allowing Apple Music to offer a unique element. Both services are priced at $9.99, although Spotify offers a free version, and both have similarly priced family and student plans available.

SPOTIFY STOCKS FALL BY 10%

However, we reported recently on our website that having just announced their earnings, Spotify appears to have has disappointed Wall Street. The steaming service announced their revenue was at $1.36 billion, an increase of 45% over the period of one year, however, this reveal caused their stocks to fall by 10%, despite the company unveiling figures that matched those predicted!

Follow this, Sony, the music label with the biggest stake in Spotify, announced they had sold half of its shares for around $750 million. Warner Music Group soon followed suit, selling 75% of its Spotify shares for about $400 million. As a result, predictions that Apple

“Apple has long been the king of all things tech and music and this latest AirPlay update will only help it continue to offer their customers the best possible service.”

could overtake Spotify by the summer are seeming far more likely.

APPLE CONTINUES TO OFFER THE ULTIMATE MUSIC EXPERIENCE

Apple always strives to offer its customers more than its rivals and music has always been a big focus of this. For example, the AirPods 2 allow users to play music at home, in the car or when out and about. These wireless headphones offer exceptional sound quality as well as the ability to listen to music anytime, anywhere. The AirPods can even be controlled via your Apple Watch series 3, allowing you to shuffle tracks, without needing to use your iPhone. Integration between devices has always been a big focus for the tech giant and AirPlay 2 will take this to the next level.