Apple Music ‘to expand to Windows’

This is according to 9to5Mac, which last week said Apple’s developers were working on the new versions.

Last year, the tech giant quietly launched a web version of Apple Music, but having an official app could be better for Windows users.

The tech giant has not disclosed when the app will be rolled out. Reports also suggest that Apple could also launch on Xbox. Apple TV is available on Xbox, while PlayStation has a partnership with Spotify.

Users will be able to manage their Apple Music accounts through iTunes for Windows. However, the company may soon discontinue the Windows version of iTunes. Apple discontinued the Mac version of iTunes and replaced it with separate apps for music, podcasts and TV shows.

“Last year, the first signs that Apple was planning to launch the Apple TV app on Microsoft Store were revealed in September, while the app was officially released two months later in November,” 9to5Mac said. “A similar schedule may apply to Apple Music and Podcasts apps.”

In terms of podcasts, the move will also rival Spotify market dominance, which has invested significantly in acquiring podcasting companies in the past two years.

In the US, spoken word content growth has been on an upward trajectory since 2014 and accounts for 26% of all listening by those aged 13 or more. Mobile technology is the driving force behind spoken word content popularity, with 30% of all smartphone listening being of some form of spoken word audio.

In 2019, Apple was hiring engineers to build the next generation of media apps for Windows, which resulted in the Apple TV app for Xbox last year. At the time, many speculated that the company would focus on bringing Apple Music and Apple TV to Windows users.