Apple Music streaming service unveiled at developers conference

Jonathan Bloom Image
ByJonathan Bloom KGO logo
Monday, June 8, 2015
Apple Music streaming service unveiled at developers conference
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced several new products including Apple Music, an app that combines a 24-hour, seven-day live radio station called "Beats 1" with an on-demand music streaming service.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Over the past few months Apple has unveiled new gadgets but the company had no new devices to show off Monday at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

Instead, Apple held a star-studded premiere for a service customers will likely to enjoy through one of Apple's oldest gadgets, its white earbuds.

Apple fans were on the edge of their seats Monday morning for the Worldwide Developers Conference keynote address in San Francisco and some announcements from Apple CEO Tim Cook.

"Today we're announcing Apple Music, the next chapter in music, and I know you are going to love it," Cook said.

Apple then brought on Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine to craft its new $10 a month music streaming service.

"Technology and art can work together. at least at Apple," Iovine said.

While Spotify, Google and Pandora tout their algorithms for picking songs, Apple says it's employing real people.

"These people are going to help you with the most difficult questions in music. When you're listening to a playlist, what song comes next?" Iovine said.

"You know they're not going to be picking out playlists for like me and my mom, you know? They'll be picking for the profile of who I am and what I like," said CNET senior writer Shara Tibken. Tibken says Apple may have an edge because it works well with artists.

"This is something that simplifies everything for the modern musician, like myself," said Rapper Drake. Drake is releasing his new album on Apple Music.

"The only way they're going to get a lot of users is by offering the most options. You know, having all of the artists you want on there," Tibken said.

The band The Weeknd debuted a new single during the keynote. And something else debuted, new versions of Apple's Mac and mobile operating systems, including multitasking for the iPad. So you can watch the Warriors game while you're trying to get work done.

"For Apple, I think their tablet sales have actually fallen five quarters from the previous year, so for them it's a huge issue of trying to find a way of getting people to buy these again," Tibken added

Another big draw would've been a new streaming television service rumored to bypass the cable company and even include local stations. But Tibken said it looks like it's going to be later this year or even next year.

Both new operating systems will be free upgrades in the fall and for those with iPhones, Apple says users will get better battery life and no more out-of-memory errors when trying to install it.

As for Apple Music, it'll work on Android phones, as well as Apple, and when it launches on June 30, people will get to try it free for three months.