Chris Velazco/Engadget
Thanks to a Bloomberg interview with Apple Music head Jimmy Iovine back in April, we thought WWDC updates for the app could focus on video. During today's keynote, the company gave us a brief rundown of a couple changes we can expect for the service. The big update wasn't video-focused though, it's primarily the ability to see what your friends are listening to inside Apple Music.
Apple will show you what you're friends are listening to right in the app -- similar to what Spotify and other apps do already. In the "For You" tab inside the app, you'll see a scrolling list of what your pals are streaming. Album artwork is displayed there with tiny avatars to indicate which of your friends have been listening to that particular selection.
The company also mentioned that 27 million people are subscribing to the service. That's still a few million less than Spotify's 50 million paying customers. What's more, Apple announced Apple Music API Kit to help developers integrate their apps with the streaming service. We're talking about things like Nike+ Run Club, Anchor and Shazam for now, but there are sure to be many more options in the near future. There's also multiroom audio support for a number of speaker brands coming to HomeKit through AirPlay 2.
This is the second year in a row Apple revealed new features for Apple Music at WWDC. Last June, the company switched up the interface to make it easier to find the music you want quickly. That revamp also put less attention on the social features of the service that were a key focus leading up to the initial launch. A new version of iOS is a convenient time to take the wraps off new enhancements for the music streaming service as well, so we could be in for annual updates during the developer event.
Apple already tipped its hand with a load of videos we can expect on the service -- a number of which are set to debut soon. A documentary on Bad Boy's hip hop legacy debuts at the end of the month while the new take on James Corden's Carpool Karaoke is scheduled to arrive in early August (after a delay). There are a number of other documentaries and series as well, and with labels pressuring Apple to offer fewer exclusive album releases, the company could leverage its video library in an attempt to lure users from the competition.
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