“Last year saw Apple take its streaming music service to Android,” Ewan Spence writes for Forbes. “This week’s update has seen the long-requested feature of offline listening arrive in the Android app, and with it comes a curious quirk between the platforms. Apple is finally using microSD on a smartphone.”
“Apple’s latest release of Apple Music for Android adds in the ability to download tracks, albums and playlists for offline listening. That means using external storage – a first for Apple on a smartphone – and audiophiles should be able to cram a ridiculous amount of music onto the latest 256GB storage cards supported by devices from LG and Lenovo (under the Moto brand). Which puts the maximum storage of 128GB on the current iPhones into the shade,” Spence writes. “There’s going to be a lot of iPhone fans looking at Apple’s utilisation of microSD on Android and wondering why Apple won’t consider the storage expansion for its own smartphones.”
“Once more I have to ask, what is Apple trying to achieve in spending resources on Apple Music for Android? Yes, it gets to own the last few feet between a device and a users ears, and yes it can land the $10 subscription that has to be shared out to the contracted parties, but where does this fit in with its overall strategy?” Spence writes. “Google wants eyeballs, and if it can’t get them on an Android device it’ll be happy to take them through an iOS application. Google is also strong enough to make those apps look like Android apps, to show users what the other platform can offer. Apple Music for Android could have taken that approach – should have taken that approach in my opinion – and use it as a lead generating app for future hardware sales. Instead it’s making a play to get users signed up to iCloud and… then what?”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Perhaps it’s as simple as lodging the “Apple” portion of “Apple Music” into Android settlers’ minds, so that when it comes time to upgrade their phone, they actually take a look at Apple instead of ignoring, and ultimately make the quintessential upgrade to iPhone?
Those who settle for fragmandroid are notoriously cheap. Good luck convincing them to pony up $9.99-$14.99/per month, Apple. Regardless, it was an exceedingly nominal amount of effort and cost to port the app to wannabe iPhones. Tipping the relatively few Android settlers who’ll bite — and who are likely the most probable to be considering an upgrade to a real iPhone anyway — is the main motive for offering the app. — MacDailyNews, November 25, 2015
Or maybe, hopefully, Apple has other, even better ideas not yet revealed?
SEE ALSO:
Increase in users dumping Android to upgrade to iPhone bodes well for Apple – December 15, 2015
Apple Music’s Android assault – November 25, 2015
Apple CEO: Android to iPhone upgraders will help us smash our own 74.5 million smartphone sales record – October 28, 2015
Tim Cook: 30% of buyers last quarter upgraded from Android to real iPhones – October 27, 2015
Apple’s new Android app helps people upgrade to a real iPhone – September 17, 2015
Apple iPhone sees highest switching rate from Android ever recorded – August 10, 2015
Apple Retail Stores now pay Android settlers to upgrade to real iPhones – March 30, 2015
Dump that Android phone and upgrade to a real iPhone – February 2, 2015
Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6/Plus fueling mass upgrades from Android – September 18, 2014