Streaming

Spotify links up with Genius to annotate your music

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 16, 2018

Spotify today announced it is partnering with Genius (not to be confused with iTunes Genius), to annotate your music. Genius is the crowdsourced musical knowledge startup that annotates music lyrics and other online content and Spotify is betting that this new feature will help retain its competitive edge over other music-streaming services.

Available at launch via a limited number of tracks through special playlists—called Behind the Lyrics and curated by Spotify and Genius—this feature adds backstory and commentary which pops up as you play tracks on Spotify.

Patents hint that broadcast TV and presence detection features may be coming to Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 28, 2015

Apple is researching a pair of interesting new features to give its fourth-generation Apple TV some new smarts and make the box more TV-like. Titled “User detection by a computing device” and “Input device & user interface interactions”, these inventions outline a fresh new user interface for changing channels on an iOS device and a presence-aware remote to keep playing content as long as someone is in the room.

Apple Music to begin streaming The Beatles catalog on Christmas Eve

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 22, 2017

It's official: the entire catalog of the famous English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, will be available for streaming on Apple Music, Spotify and a few other services beginning tomorrow, December 24, at 12:01 local time.

In addition to Apple Music and Spotify, The Beatles catalog will also be available for streaming worldwide via Deezer, Google Play, Microsoft Groove, Amazon Prime, Rhapsody, Slacker and Tidal (Pandora is a notable holdout).

Rumor: high-fidelity Apple Music streaming due in 2016

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 21, 2015

For years, Apple has been rumored to be working on high-resolution audio formats for iTunes, but we're yet to see concrete evidence of those efforts. Still, the rumor persists. On Monday, the reliable Japanese blog Macotakara reported that high-resolution streaming is coming to Apple Music in 2016.

Citing industry sources who spoke to the publication at the Portable Audio Festival in Tokyo, where some of Apple's products were exhibited, the report states that Apple will offer better-than-CD quality music.

In addition, high-end audio equipment makers are allegedly planning to add audio cables for Lightning to their lineups.

Amazon allegedly confirms that Instant Video is hitting Apple TV before year-end

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Online retail giant Amazon is bringing its Instant Video service to the new Apple TV after all. As a quick refresher, Amazon recently pulled both Google’s Chromecast HDMI dongle and Apple’s Apple TV from sale because the two set-top boxes, in Amazon's own words, don’t “interact well” with its video subscription service. Confirmation of a tvOS version of Instant Video was inadvertently leaked by Amazon itself in response to a question on Twitter.

The app should hit the Apple TV App Store by the end of the year.

Amazon Video for iOS gets X-Ray, 3D Touch and multitasking support & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 24, 2015

Amazon pushed a nice update to its video-streaming app in the App Store this morning. Amazon Video version 3.3 now includes 3D Touch shortcuts on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus Home screen for quick access to the following features: Library, Downloads, your Watchlist and Search.

In addition, the app is now fully optimized for the iPad Pro and supports iOS 9's new Picture in Picture mode and Slide Over multitasking on supported devices.

Review: Vevo’s revamped iOS app is a lot cleaner and more fun to use than Apple’s Music

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

In case you missed it, Vevo has completely redesigned its lagging iPhone and iPad application in the App Store. I watch music videos from Vevo artists on YouTube on my desktop. On mobile, not so much and I blame Vevo's hopelessly outdated design, inconsistencies and complicated features for that.

Bumped to version 5.0, the new Vevo experience starts with a black-and-white logo and a matching app icon.

The headline change here is an all-new interface—it gets out of your way, unlike Apple's own Music app, and sports a tremendously useful mini-player. It's almost too weird to say that Vevo's new iOS app is a lot easier and way more fun to use than Apple's stock Music app has ever been, but it's true.

Periscope gains skipping ahead in replays, Trending section, 3D Touch shortcuts and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 11, 2015

Twitter-owned live-broadcasting app, Periscope, was updated in the App Store last evening with half a dozen new features and refinements aimed at improving the usefulness of video replays whilst improving content discovery with new tools such as an-all new Trending section to help you find content from popular broadcasters.

Pericope also has a tvOS app for the new Apple TV and recently refreshed the iPhone version with muting, Handoff support, instant replays, finding location-enabled broadcasts, verified badges, Follower Only mode, Global section and more.

How to change the video resolution on your Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 3, 2024

In this tutorial, we will show you how to change the resolution, frame rate, and dynamic range settings for video playback on your Apple TV to achieve the perfect viewing experience.

Amazon said to be in talks with networks regarding live TV service

Cody Lee ∙ October 7, 2015

Amazon is exploring the creation of a live, streaming television service, reports Bloomberg. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the outlet says the online retailer has reached out to major media companies including CBS and Comcast's NBCUniversal to discuss carrying their channels.

The talks are assumed to be in the preliminary stages. Analyst Dan Rayburn wrote on Tuesday "those I have spoken with haven’t disclosed how far along Amazon is with regards to a live OTT service." He added that it's possible Amazon is simply examining the economics of the business.

Netflix app now supports in-app subscriptions

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 24, 2015

Netflix has long been available as an app for the iPhone, but up until today, setting up a subscription could only be accomplished via the Netflix website, which created a disjointed experience for new subscribers. Today, Netflix is allowing users to subscribe directly via the app itself.

What does this mean for Netflix? It means that any subscriptions initiated through the app will be subjected to the same 70/30 split that other apps experience, with Apple taking 30% of the subscription proceeds. Instead of raising its prices in the app to accommodate for the loss of revenue, Netflix is staying the course.

Plex confirms bringing its media streaming app to the new Apple TV

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 9, 2016

The new Apple TV is about to get its first killer app as popular media-streaming software Plex officially announced extending its iOS app to the new device, as revealed to ITWorld this past weekend.

“We are very excited to have a crack at bringing our users Apple TV,” said Scott Olechowski, the co-founder of Plex. “It’s been a long requested platform and we’re excited to work on it.”