Google wants to put all the music in the world on iDevices

Nov 13, 2014 07:58 GMT  ·  By

“Music on YouTube is better than ever,” reads the official changelog for YouTube 2.16.11441 in the iTunes App Store. The updated application rivals every music service you may be subscribed to, including Apple’s own iTunes Radio.

Arriving late to the party, Google wants to take the music world by storm with some new offerings along the lines of Spotify, Pandora, iTunes Radio, etc. The search giant has kickstarted an initiative where all the music in the world will finally be available to everyone.

iOS app gets music home page, Mix update

According to the release notes for YouTube 2.16.11441 on iOS, users will be able to find their favorite videos on a new music home page. There, the app will also offer recommendations, and YouTube Mix will now provide users with an endless stream of music based on their favorite song or artist, much like Apple’s Genius algorithms. Lastly, iDevice owners will also get to play albums right from search.

The update was made official on the YouTube blog, where more details are dished out.

“Starting today, you’ll see a new home just for music on your YouTube app for Android, iOS and on YouTube.com that shows your favorite music videos, recommended music playlists based on what you’re into and playlists of trending music across YouTube,” reads the announcement.

“You can find a playlist to perfectly fit your mood, whether that’s a morning motivators playlist or Boyce Avenue YouTube Mix. Check out the newest songs from channels you subscribe to, like FKA twigs or Childish Gambino. Or quickly find the songs you’ve played over and over and over again.”

YouTube has all the music, now wants to sell it

In the same post, Google reveals its intentions to get into the music selling business. Because, why not? As the search company itself puts it, “If a song exists in this world, you can probably find it on YouTube.” Granted, you’re likely to stumble upon a few crude copies before ultimately reaching the high-def version, and chances are it has been deleted by the time you get to it. This is where Google will step in to make it legal to find and play full albums, thwarting unauthorized copying and improving your audio experience at the same time.

According to the post, in the coming days, users will be able to see an artist’s entire discography and play a full album – both official music videos and high-quality songs.

Finally, the search giant rolled out YouTube Music Key beta, a monthly subscription service that promises ad-free music, background play, and offline viewing, as well as integration with Google Play Music. iTunes Radio has just been given a run for its money.

YouTube iPhone / iPad screenshots (10 Images)

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