Beats Music apps for Android and Windows Phone to live on

By Richard Devine
last updated

In acquiring Beats Music, Apple will have its first non-iOS mobile applications under its control and importantly it looks like those apps will live on after the acquisition. According to Tim Bradshaw of the Financial Times, the Android and Windows Phone Beats Music apps are safe:

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A bold statement from Apple CEO, Tim Cook, and just leaves us yet further wondering what the future holds for an Apple controlled Beats Music. Further to this, Cook has also told the Financial Times that Beats Music is the best streaming service in the market, and is "the first to get it right."

So while we ponder, at least folks rocking Android and Windows Phone aren't in any immediate danger of losing their Beats Music access. And that's absolutely fantastic. Our pals at iMore are all over the Apple/Beats deal, so be sure to head on over there to check it out!

Source: Tim Bradshaw (Twitter) via 9to5Mac

Richard Devine
Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine

75 Comments
  • Great news, i hope this is sign of things to come, Apple can't continue ignoring other platforms.. Google too. 
  • Apple more than anything would love to get rid of google. Already failed with imaps.
  • Bing Maps?
  • Imap used bing?
  • No. But apple should consider Bing maps instead of Google maps if imaps can't make it.
  • Funny. Google doesn't wanna get rid of Apple. They wanna get rid of MS. Posted via Windows Phone Central App
  • Google wants to get rid of Microsoft. Microsoft wants to get rid of Google. Apple wants to get rid of Google.
  • Samsung wants to depend less on Google.
  • Basically, Google is going to be in a lot of trouble.
  • Not really. New rising stars popping up cashing in on the Android bandwagon hoping to be the next Samsung.
  • Perhaps, but Google is trying hard to keep "new rising stars" from jumping into Android OSP v. Google supported Android.
  • Why so?
  • Exactly why Tizen exists even Touchwiz has a Tizen look to it now so I wouldn't be surprised if an update replaced Android with Tizen on their existing devices.
  • If they just pulled the apps with no reason, they could be slammed by antitrust regulators.  
  • Nobody said a word when they did that with HopStop.
  • +1020
  • Doubt it, I don't think Beats Music is popular enough to make it a violation of antitrust laws. It's not like anyone (or at least many) are going to switch platforms or choose iOS over WP8 or Android because of Beats Music.
  • It's no longer Beats music, its Apple, and if Apple is deamed to have a dominat position in certain market sphere, there are limits on what they can do with their assets.  
  • Beats Music, though, has a lot of competition, so Apple could easily pull the app from Android and WP8 without any repercussions.
  • Why? It wouldn't be all that different than Google's position of not providing apps to WP for thier services...Apple doesn't have to produce anything for WP and can kill it if they so choose to.There are alternative apps that provide similar services to Beats (RDIO/Spotify/XBM, etc.).
  • could care less if MS can fix xbox music app.  what a mess, add a song to playlist and it re-adds all the songs.  So a playlist of 20 goes to 40 of the same songs.  yay
  • Lol never had that glitch happen but I don't doubt its there!
  • Xbox music is a piece of poop, seriously, I hate the choppy name, no live tile, slower than ever before and everything else in Xbox music has been getting worse. It's pretty much Zune>Music+Video>Music(WP8.1)
  • Please remember you are commenting on an unreleased app that is still in development. Unsatisfied with the Music hub in 8.0? Understandable. But wait until Release to ditch XBM. Or, better yet, make your voice heard on UserVoice.
  • You know many people keep telling this to themselves. What if I told you that the official release is close and the app doesn't look as promising yet.
  • If by "close" you mean 2 weeks ago, you'd be correct. That's when the Lumia 630 came out...
  • The 630, with full release 8.1, is out or nearly out in multiple territories; this kind of response loses value exponentially as each day ticks over.
  • Exactly. 8.1 is out, so is Xbox Music.
  • Lumia 630 is out here in brazil in somes Nokia Store....  But, Xbox Music is out since last year. Since last year looks like crap.
  • It has tons of bugs for sure, but I'm starting to like it as a simple music player now... So that's something positive I guess.
  • Yeah, I've given up hope on that front already. No matter what I try...Syncing with WP app or downloading the songs locally, I always get duplicates. The only way out of it is resetting my phone.This happens on both My Ativ S and LUMIA 520. So, for now I just use the W8 Music app to manage my Music and "stream" it on both my Tablet and Phone.
  • OMG!!!! That playlist bug is killing me, at one point I had my Bangerz playlist show me I had songs at 929! When there were only 9 songs. I'm really starting to consider moving to Android now even though I hate it but with this whole WhatsApp thing including the music app I give up.
  • Woo-hoo!!! I don't care!!
  • Just cancel Google app. That's my take on it lol
  • But probably Android and WP apps will be less invested in and they will be always behind
  • That is a possibility but at the same time it isn't as if Beats makes all of it's money from only the Apple pie. If they were to alienate Android/WinPhone users by canning those version of the apps, why would they buy any of the rest of their products. I know I wouldn't.
  • "Our pals at iMore are all over the Apple/Beats deal, so be sure to head on over there to check it out!"   Of course.  Apple fanboys praise anything Apple does regardless of how good or how stupid.  I remember my friend made fun of me because my N93 could multitask, and his iPhone didn't, because Apple said multitasking is bad. (battery life was their argument)   I'm surprised they arent cutting off android and wp. That is their typical style.
  • Apple is being nice? Woah!
  • If only Xbox music was an 1/8 of beats music!
  • Subscription music, no thanks.
  • I'm not sure how these streaming music apps differ from one another. They all play music right?
  • Yes they do, and all cars are made to drive, all planes fly, all phones make phone calls, and so on...
    Its all the same thing.
  • This is great News. Google please learn from example and stop acting like babies. And just develop for WP. Thank you Apple and Tim Cook. What do say Larry Page?
  • Xbox music has no free streaming option on phones....beats does! I guess Xbox music is only for those who want to pay!!
  • It's coming MSFT serves the world. With no regrets. That's is why I love MSFT. Hopefully this a beginning to a great computing cooperation between the three.
  • Beats doesn't have free streaming.
  • Songza
  • Now bring us Spotify free version! I don't care beats or Xbox music! I just want spotify
  • Yeah...right. Like we haven't heard that before. I bet apple is even gonna go Microsoft on us and update and release new features on wp before iOS.
  • Yup, probably. :) In reality, WP will probably never be updated again...
  • Wow its crazy sell music on android and WP without using iTunes. Clever
  • You can't buy music on Beats. Subscription only.
  • The problem is that it's always been crappy.
  • Great. I'm a subscriber to Beats Music on Windows Phone and I love streaming it in my car.
  • Personally, I'm loving my grandfathered $14 Zune account. I keep 10 songs DRM-free per month and have access on six devices of any combination (mobile or PC). I'm never voluntarily giving it up!
  • Somehow they took my ten credits from me. I was switched to Xbox music. It's Ok though cause I tunebite everything anyway
  • Amen Brother! I'm on the same boat. The only way they'll take that from me is from "my cold dead hands."
  • It's funny how they say that and have no iTunes apps on different platforms!
  • I find iTunes damn too annoying.
  • I don't believe there is a Google Store nor Windows Phone store on the opposite platforms as well, unless you mean Apple specific apps; examples Apples Maps, Notepad, etc.
  • For now....this may change. Look at HopStop
  • Glad to hear it but I don't use beats. Nokia mixradio, Pandora I heart and a few more.
  • Interesting! Apparently nobody cares about this.
  • "will live on" could mean in the current app, never to be updated ever again. I don't trust that Apple will truly maintain cross platform, at a minimum making only a good experience on Apple platforms....
  • Thats what I feel too but after examining what Apple could benefit from this acquisition I feel they will keep it update on both Windows Phone and Android
  • Zune style music player for windows phone is coming just wait for 1 month.
  • ¿Who cares about that?
  • I appreciate Tim's enthusiasm and confidence in Beats Music. But it's NOT the best streaming music service out there. Not by a long shot. He's gonna have to pick off at least 4, maybe 5 others to get there. Looking forward to see how it all pans out.
  • "The first to get it right" ?? What about MixRadio(Nokia Music)?
  • I like Mix Radio too. Unfortunately its not available here in Qatar. I've used it in UAE and India.
  • That sucks. Beats music isn't available here in South Africa (the app not the headphones).
  • Beats Music only has around eleven thousand subscribers that's why Apple is keeping the apps on WP and Android. 
  • What I'd like to see is beats staying on Windows phone. I dont use this app but for the benefit of those who do use this app I hope and feel that it will continue to be updated and remain on the windows phone store. As for this relationship betwee Apple and Google I've seen how google enjoys living in Apple's shadow. An app for apple means its also going to be made available for Google. iMaps a failure year it is and if you've used HERE Maps you'll know that its a much better map application. Others may not agree, but I franky dont care about their opinion. I hope to see Apple and Microsoft join hands someday. Till then I'm might happy with the steady App growth here at Windows Phone. Seems like I have an app to download each day.
  • Fuck Apple, Long life to Microsoft
  • who cares?.. nokia mix radio is better than that..hope microsoft should think of and continue to develop