The Apple Music app for Android devices was updated today, adding a new home screen widget that gives Android users the ability to control Apple Music playback without needing to open the Apple Music app.

The widget lets users view what's playing, and quickly pause, skip, rewind, and favorite songs. Today's update also lets Android users add songs directly to playlists without first needing to add them to the Apple Music, offers a way to redeem iTunes credit for membership renewal, and includes several other useful interface tweaks that should be a welcome change for Android Apple Music users.

applemusicandroid

Image via PocketNow

Now you can add songs from the Apple Music catalog to playlists without having to add it to your library. You can also:
- Control playback with a widget you can add to your home screen
- Redeem gift cards in Settings to renew your membership using iTunes credit
- See what's playing on Beats 1 directly from the Radio tab -- without having to tune in
- Tap the name of the currently playing song in Now Playing to go to the album
- See which songs are most popular on albums in the Apple Music catalog

Apple Music for Android can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.

Top Rated Comments

Adam Betts Avatar
129 months ago
Interesting how Apple is taking advantage of features on Android but refuses to loosen up with iOS
That's not the right way to view it. Apple have said that they're trying to make an app that feels right at home in Android even though they themselves may not agree with Android's UI trends.

If a highly-requested feature isn't on iOS yet, it usually means that Apple haven't found a right approach, something that would fit in with iOS properly. Remember iOS copynpaste?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
glindon Avatar
129 months ago
Interesting how Apple is taking advantage of features on Android but refuses to loosen up with iOS
There is a widget on iOS. Swipe up to open control center. The widget is always available no matter where you are in iOS unlike this widget that is only on that particular home screen.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
129 months ago
All this arguing about iOS needing widgets and here I am wondering what everyone is talking about? I've got a ton of widgets available from either my lock screen or anywhere I am: the Today view! Works great and keeps everything nice and tidy. I've got widgets for all sorts of things: weather and radar, sports scores, stocks, calendar, data plan usage, thermostat controls, to-do lists, pedometer, system monitoring, breaking news and package deliveries. What is everyone complaining about? I've even got widgets on my Watch! Widgets for days. WIDGETS FOR WEEKS! A man could go mad with this kind of power.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnApples Avatar
129 months ago
All this arguing about iOS needing widgets and here I am wondering what everyone is talking about? I've got a ton of widgets available from either my lock screen or anywhere I am: the Today view! Works great and keeps everything nice and tidy. I've got widgets for all sorts of things: weather and radar, sports scores, stocks, calendar, data plan usage, thermostat controls, to-do lists, pedometer, system monitoring, breaking news and package deliveries. What is everyone complaining about? I've even got widgets on my Watch! Widgets for days. WIDGETS FOR WEEKS! A man could go mad with this kind of power.
I loved when they added widgets, and I added a bunch to my Today view, but I sadly can't say they work great for me. Every single time I slide down the NC, the widgets are all blank and take a few seconds to load the data. And they don't do it all at the same time either, which causes them to all expand/contract out of order and is impossible for me to select anything for about 6 seconds.

Do you experience this? I'd love for my widgets to be a lot smoother... Maybe it's just the ones I'm currently using?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Refurbished_ Avatar
129 months ago
How does AM on iOS differ from AM on Android? Aside from the widget, of course.
It doesn't work.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
waterskier2007 Avatar
129 months ago
There is a widget on iOS. Swipe up to open control center. The widget is always available no matter where you are in iOS unlike this widget that is only on that particular home screen.
That is by far the dumbest point I have ever seen. I am not saying I want or don't want widgets, but if I was going to argue against them, this is not the point I would base my argument on.

Widgets would be something available for any app to implement, whereas control center is locked to what Apple decides should be there.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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