Apple is launching a new music streaming service aimed at classical music. Based on the 2021 acquisition of Amsterdam-based streamer Primephonic, the new Apple Music Classical app gives Apple Music subscribers access to more than 5 million classical music tracks, including new releases in high-quality audio, as well as hundreds of curated playlists, thousands of exclusive albums and other features, such as composer biographies and deep dives into key works, Apple says.
The service was rumored to be nearing completion given its appearance in the latest OS updates rolled out to developers, but the exact timing of the launch was not yet known.
While the app is being announced today, it’s only available for pre-order on the App Store for now. The release date is later this month, on March 28. Additionally, at launch, the app will only support iOS devices running iOS 15.4 or later.
The company’s decision to target classical music listeners with a standalone app is a differentiator for its Apple Music subscription service — though it’s one quite different from the features rival Spotify announced this week, which includes tech features like AI and video-based features. discovery feeds.
Image Credits: Apple
Instead, Apple Music Classical provides a simple interface to deal with classical works. Users can search by composer, work, conductor or even catalog number to find recordings. These can be streamed in high-quality audio up to 192 kHz/24-bit Hi-Res Lossless. And thousands of recordings will also be available in Apple’s immersive spatial audio.
The app also lets users dive into the recordings to read editorial notes about the composers and descriptions of their major works. Famous composers will have their own high-resolution digital portraits available, commissioned by Apple from artists. These are designed with color palettes and artistic references from the relevant Classical period, Apple notes, with more to be added in due course. Portraits of Ludwig van Beethoven, Frédéric Chopin and Johann Sebastian Bach will be available at launch.
The service will also be updated with new music over time. Apple notes that it is working with classical music artists and music institutions to offer exclusive content and recordings at launch and will continue to do so going forward. For now, users can follow news and updates about the app and music releases on the @appleclassical Twitter account.
There is no additional cost for Apple Music Classical as it comes as part of the Apple Music subscription. The app is available to subscribers in a variety of plans, including individual plans ($10.99/mo), students ($5.99/mo), Family ($16.99/mo), and Apple One bundles.
While the service is only available for iOS at launch, it will “soon” support Android, similar to the Apple Music app.