Apple Music is getting a new Apple Intelligence feature in iOS 18, but who will want to use it? 

Apple Music is Apple's Spotify rival music streaming platform. Since it's exclusively available on Apple devices, it tends to get updates alongside iOS updates. A recent leak hints that that's the case again with iOS 18, which brings a peculiar AI feature to the app. 

Here's what we know about Apple Intelligence on Apple Music and when you can try it out yourself. 

Generative AI is coming to Apple Music in iOS 18

Apple Music is reportedly getting an Apple Intelligence feature in iOS 18 that will allow users to create AI-generated artwork for their playlists, as first revealed by 9to5Mac. The feature was spotted in the iOS 18 beta 4 code, released on the Apple Developer site on Tuesday. 

The feature will use the Image Playground tool in Apple Intelligence to generate custom cover images for playlists. So, when you create a new playlist in Apple Music, you will soon have an option to "Create Image" rather than uploading your cover image or using one of Apple's pre-designed covers. 

As someone with many playlists on my music apps, I can see how this feature might be helpful to some people. However, it will depend heavily on the quality and style of the AI-generated playlist covers. Many users might not want all of their playlist icons to be AI-generated cartoon emojis. 

Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a while to see how well this feature works. The code was reportedly spotted in the latest iOS 18 beta, but the feature is not available yet, even in the developer beta. Earlier rumors indicated that Apple is planning a slow roll-out for Apple Intelligence, so some features may not launch until 2025. 

It's unclear where the AI-generated playlist covers feature falls in that timeline. Still, it's likely one of the earlier features we'll see in a public iOS release since it's already in the code for a beta release and seems like a relatively small, low-power feature. 

Is this the type of feature users want from Apple Intelligence?

AI-generated playlist covers aren't exactly a revolutionary application for AI, but that might come as a relief to some. After all, at least Apple doesn't seem to be interested in making AI-generated music, which has been rife with controversy and copyright issues. Even so, it seems unlikely that features like AI-generated playlist covers will be exciting enough to get people interested in Apple Intelligence. 

Tim Cook clarified in an interview during WWDC 2024 that "generative AI was never off the table" for Apple. It also played a central role in the reveal presentation for Apple Intelligence on June 10, with features like AI-generated emojis in the spotlight. 

Are AI-generated images enough to get people to opt-in for Apple Intelligence and use it? After all, plenty of other AI image-generation tools exist today, such as OpenAI's popular DALL-E algorithm. Apple's Image Playground tool will need to be robust enough to compete with existing image generation tools to win users over. 

Of course, Apple Intelligence will be capable of much more than image generation. Apple claims it will also level up Siri and unlock new assistant capabilities like improved language processing, understanding on-screen context, generating text content, summarizing content, finding emails and messages, and more. 

We'll have to wait and see how these features perform in real-world use. Apple hasn't announced an official release date for iOS 18 or the first round of Apple Intelligence features yet, but based on Apple's release date history, we're expecting to see them in mid-September. Laptop Mag will cover all the latest rumors, updates, and news surrounding iOS 18, so stay tuned for more details. 

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A YouTube Premium price increase of $2 per month ($20 on the yearly plan), brings it to $13.99 a month or $139.99 per year, which is sure to drive some to consider how to cancel YouTube Premium, and we're here to help.

As a YouTube Premium subscriber, I'm weighing my options in light of the price increase. I value the features greatly, such as the ad-free experience, being able to download videos or let them play in the background. 

The fact that YouTube Music is also included in the subscription, which I use daily as well, means I need to balance the cost of replacing that if I drop YouTube Premium with something like Spotify or Apple Music (both $9.99 a month). 

Ultimately, I think I'm landing on the side of sticking with YouTube Premium, but that's because I make daily use of all of its features and I have a family subscription which my wife and kids make use of as well. 

If you are only occasionally dipping into YouTube or don't use YouTube Music at all then this would be a logical time to cancel before the price increase goes into effect.

How to cancel YouTube Premium

I'll give Google this, unlike some subscription services we have looked at cancelling, YouTube Premium can be dropped in just a few clicks.

Step 1. Navigate to YouTube.com

Step 2. Click on your profile icon on the top right. (Sign in if necessary)

Step 3. Click on "Purchases and memberships."

Step 4. Under "Memberships," click on "Manage membership."

Step 5. Click "Cancel" to the right of your next billing date.

Step 6. Click on "Yes, cancel."

Google doesn't do anything too drastic to try to stop you from cancelling your YouTube Premium membership. On the screen where you confirm that you want to cancel, it simply reminds you of how long you have been a member and how many hours you've watched ad-free YouTube or played it in the background, how many hours you've listened to ad-free YouTube Music, and how many videos you've watched offline. 

If you are hesitant to cancel right away, you can also choose to simply "Pause membership" for up to six months. This is available under memberships as well, so if you know you may have a period of not using the service as often this would be a way to reduce your annual cost without cancelling it entirely.

Apple is rolling out iOS 16.2 to iPhone, meaning users can now check out new features such as the fresh karaoke mode Apple Music Sing, the Freeform App for collaboration across projects, iCloud enhanced data protection, along with other improvements and bug fixes.

iOS 16.2 launches alongside other software updates, including iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, watchOS 9.2, and tvOS 16.2. Check out all the features iOS 16.2 brings to the table, and for a closer look at how to use Apple Music Sing, we've got you covered. 

How to update to iOS 16.2

iOS 16.2 is now officially available, which rolled out on Tuesday, December 13.

To update, your iPhone may have a "Software Update Available" option at the top of Settings to make it easier to download. If not, you'll need to head to Settings > General > Software Update.

iOS 16.2 features 

iOS 16.2 delivers a number of notable big fixes and improvements, including improved search in Messages, which helps you find photos based on content; news reports about the weather in the Weather app; Crash Detection optimization on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models; a fix to notes not syncing with iCloud after updates; and more.

However, this update packs in a few more interesting features:

Apple Music Sing brings karaoke mode
Thanks to Apple Music Sing, users can sing along to tens of millions of songs on the Apple streaming platform. Apple Music Sing also offers background vocals, a duet view feature, and more.

It's available on select iPhone models, including the iPhone 11 and later, along with the iPhone SE 2022. Check out how to use Apple Music Sing.

Freeform app is a new collaboration tool
The new Freeform app, which Apple claims is "a powerful new app designed for creative brainstorming and collaboration," is a flexible canvas that allows iPhone, iPad, and Mac users to collaborate using a visual layout. This means Apple users can see, share, and jot down ideas in one place by adding designs and files on a freeform board.

As Apple points out, users can also collaborate and add to the Freeform board with others while on a FaceTime call, and these boards are stored in iCloud. You can find out more right here. 

Advanced Data Protection for iCloud
While Apple already has Data Protection for its devices, a file encryption system built into iPhone, iOS 16.2 and macOS 13.1 now brings Advanced Data Protection. This increases the total number of data categories protected using end-to-end encryption to 23 rather than 14, which now includes iCloud Backup, Notes, and Photos.

Apple states that it "keeps most iCloud data protected even in the case of a data breach in the cloud." At a time when data breaches are growing, it's a good idea to enable this. 

iPhone 14 Pro gets Always-On display customization
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max models finally brought Apple's version of an Always-On display, but it was met with some criticism due to its lack of customization features. With iOS 16.2, however, iPhone 14 Pro users can now hide the wallpaper or notifications the display shows, making the screen look more like it's locked.

Live Activities gets Apple TV integration
The Apple TV app now lets you enable Live Activities, and can give you more frequent updates. This is available for MLB games in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. As for the NBA and Premier League, it's currently only available in the U.S. and Canada.  

"How to see Apple Music Replay" is trending on Google Search because people are itching to get insights on their music inclinations throughout 2022. For the uninitiated, Apple Music Replay gives you a highlight reel, if you will, of your Apple Music listening history.

As such, Apple Music Replay spits out an assessment of your top songs, albums, playlists, stations, and genres. As a cherry on top, Apple lets you relive your 2022 music journey with an eye-catching visual recap. As the year wraps up, it's a great way to see which musicians, songs, and podcasts had you in a chokehold.

How to see Apple Music Replay

1. Go to the Apple Music Replay official website.

2. Tap on Get Started.

3. Sign in with your Apple ID and password. 

4. If requested, enter your two-factor authentication code.

5. After completing some prompts, you should be land on a page that gives you your Apple Music listening insights throughout 2022.

According to Apple's support page, Apple Music subscribers should see the amount of time you spent listening to a song, artist, album, playlist, genre and station. You will also get a roundup of what Apple Music believes are your favorite artists and songs, depending on play counts.

Want to share your Music Replay listening stats? Hit the Share button!

Say hello to the $5 Voice Plan! It's a new subscription service the Cupertino-based tech giant added to the Apple Music app. Prior to the Voice Plan, one could only subscription to two plans: Individual ($10) and Family ($15).

Spotify must be sweating bullets. It, too, offers a $5 plan, but it's only available to students who are currently enrolled in an accredited higher-education institution (sorry high schoolers). Apple swooped in to undercut the competition with a $5 plan that everyone can use.

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Apple Music: New $5 Voice Plan

Hey Siri, check on Spotify to see if it's still breathing! Apple has a new $5 Voice Plan that could threaten its music-streaming service rival. The $5 Voice Plan was unveiled at the October Apple Event alongside two new chips, a 14-inch MacBook Pro and the AirPods 3.

So how does the $5 Voice Plan work? You can currently request specific songs and artists with Siri on the Apple Music app, but the tech giant kicked it up a notch this year.

Apple enlisted "music experts" to create new playlists for hundreds of moods and activities. For example, if you're feeling tropical, give Siri a shout and say, "Play an island vibes playlist." Or if you're feeling creatively blocked, you can say, "Play a playlist for creative focus." No matter how you're feeling or what you're going through, the Apple Music app will have a playlist for you. 

This new feature is available to every music subscriber, but with the $5 Voice Plan, you can only use your voice — via the power of Siri — to access songs, stations and playlists in Apple Music. Unlike the other subscriptions (Individual and Family), you can only use Voice Plan on Apple devices. You also will not have access to spatial and lossless audio support.

Apple didn't specify a release date for the $5 Voice Plan, but you should expect it to arrive later this fall.

Apple Music may be the new music streaming service gamers flock to, as the app has now been spotted on the PS5's music menu. Both companies have yet to officially announce the service coming to PS5, but it's likely to arrive after Apple and Sony's recent partnership.

Spotted by a Reddit user (via Eurogamer), the user claimed to have seen the option to stream music using the Cupertino tech giant's service. This allows PlayStation users to listen to music while playing games, which is usually done through Spotify. The user posted what was shown. 

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According to the post, they tried selecting the option, only to be shown an error message stating: "This app is only playable on PS4." As Eurogamer points out, this is a standard error message when users try to download missing apps on PS5. Interestingly, when Eurogamer tried to get the Apple Music option, they couldn't on a UK account, but could on a US account. However, the option only showed up once. Personally, I also tried to recreate the same conditions, but couldn't find the app.

Sony could be testing out the Apple Music app on PS5 for now, gearing up to launch the music service soon. While yet to be announced, Sony recently partnered with Apple before, offering PS5 owners six months of Apple TV+ for free. If this is the case, owners may get the same deal for Apple Music once it officially appears on the console.

Sony and Apple appear to be developing a partnership of sorts, first with the Apple TV+ deal, and then with the potential Apple Music option. The PS5 DualSense controller is also available to purchase in the Apple Store, although Apple is known to see third-party devices. Will we see Apple and Sony develop a stronger relationship in the near future? Only time will tell.

Speaking of Apple and gaming, check out the best Apple Arcade games to play right now, along with how to connect your AirPods to a Nintendo Switch. 

Apple teased another special event, introducing Apple Music's upcoming spatial audio feature right after the WWDC 2021 keynote.

The event is expected to take place today at 12 p.m. PT / 3 p.m. EST / 7 p.m. GMT, taking place two hours after the 10 a.m. PT start time of the upcoming WWDC event. While the event was initially announced on Apple Music, the teaser has since been removed. 

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Spotted on Twitter (via MacRumors), the teaser video revealed the "Introducing Spatial Audio" special event, with the website's description stating viewers can listen to the "streaming radio station" on Apple Music. 

What to expect 

The tech giant recently announced that Apple Music will be adding lossless sound to its entire catalogue, along with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support this June. Lossless audio, however, won't be supported on any AirPods model, even if the AirPods Max are plugged in.

Apple revealing the special event is unexpected, but it should give us further details on how Apple Music subscribers can use the spatial audio feature with their AirPods Pro, AirPods Max, and built-in speakers in the latest versions of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.

Previous rumors indicated fans would finally see the release of the AirPods 3 or the AirPods Pro 2 with the announcement of the spatial audio feature. While these rumors were put to rest, the newly revealed special event could tease the next-gen earbuds.

Stay tuned later today for further details, and you can find out what to expect in our Apple WWDC 2021 preview. 

Apple has announced its music streaming service, Apple Music, will be adding lossless sound to its entire catalog, along with spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support this June — only one of these features will work with AirPods.

As previously reported, Apple Music's new hi-fi music streaming tier will be available to all subscribers at no extra cost. However, if you're a fan of lossless audio and use the tech giant's AirPods Pro or its pricey AirPods Max, prepare for some disappointment. 

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According to Apple (via The Verge), lossless audio won't be supported on any AirPods model, even if the AirPods Max are plugged in. While Apple only supports Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) over Bluetooth, meaning its wireless earbuds weren't expected to support lossless audio, its more expensive headphones can be connected via Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter cable.

Even when plugged in, Apple's premium pair of cans won't be able to play any of the 75 million songs in true lossless audio. The announcement states the tech giant will use ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) to "hear the exact same thing that the artists created in the studio."

In terms of quality, the lossless tier starts at "CD quality", which is 16 bit at 44.1 kHz (kilohertz), and goes up to 24 bit at 48 kHz. While Apple devices can play this natively, including the Apple AirPods Max, it won't be able to support the "Hi-Resolution Lossless" that goes up to 24 bit at 192 kHz.1.

While unfortunate, AirPods are known to get updates. If Apple figures out a way to deliver its high-quality lossless tier, such as developing a new wireless codec, we may expect to see it in an upcoming firmware update. It could also be an upcoming feature to be introduced to new products, such as the rumoured AirPods Pro 2.

Apple Music spatial audio with Dolby Atmos

It isn't all bad news. Apple Music subscribers will get a spatial audio feature with support for Dolby Atmos. Don't fret, as Apple Music will automatically play Dolby Atmos tracks on all AirPods and Beats headphones with an H1 or W1 chip. Even better, it will also work with the built-in speakers in the latest versions of iPhone, iPad, and MacBook.

The spatial audio feature aims to deliver an "immersive audio experience" to subscribers, with Apple stating thousands of songs from big artists will support the new feature. Fresh Dolby Atmos tracks will constantly be added to the music streaming services library, too.

The Apple Music upgrade is expected to land at the beginning of June. If you are looking for a killer pair of cans and aren't too fussed about lossless audio, check out the best wireless headphones.