iOS 14.5 Releases

Apple

iOS 14.5 has been released and MacStories has a good overview:

Apple today released version 14.5 of iOS and iPadOS, a substantial update to the operating system for iPhone and iPad that debuted in September and introduced features such as Home Screen widgets, multi-column app layouts on iPadcompact UI, a redesigned Music app, and more.

Version 14.5 is the biggest – or, at the very least, most interesting – update to iOS and iPadOS we’ve seen in the 14.0 release cycle to date. That’s not to say previous iterations of iOS and iPadOS 14 were low on new features and refinements – it’s quite the opposite, in fact. Perhaps the pandemic and Apple’s work-from-home setup played a role in the company spreading new iOS functionalities across multiple releases throughout 2020 and the first half of 2021, but, regardless of the underlying reason, iOS and iPadOS 14 have evolved considerably since their public launch six months ago.

Watch unlock for the phone has been 👌.

Apple Music Editorial Content Is Coming to Apple News

John Voorhees, writing for Mac Stories:

The integration of Apple Music and News, which Apple said nothing about during its event on April 20th, is clearly just getting going, so there’s not a lot to see yet. However, it’s also the sort of integration that has the potential to differentiate Music from competitors like Spotify and give users a much-needed reason to visit News. This is a feature we may learn more about next week when iOS and iPadOS 14.5 are released to the public, and that we’ll be keeping a close eye on and as we learn more about Apple’s plans for the fall during WWDC.

MacStories Reviews Albums 4.0

Apps

John Voorhees, reviews the new version of Albums 4.0 at MacStories:

Albums 4.0 is a beautifully designed, feature-rich app with more filtering and discovery tools than any other music app I’ve tried. The app is also opinionated, favoring album playback over individual songs or playlists. It’s the sort of focused, deep approach to music that Apple’s Music app doesn’t offer because it’s designed to appeal to a wider audience.

If you’re an albums-first music fan, you’ll love Albums. However, even if you prefer singles, playlists, and jumping around the Apple Music catalog as I do, Albums is worth checking out. The app’s powerful filtering opens up brand new ways to enjoy your music collection that any music fan can appreciate.

Apple Invests $50M Into Music Distributor UnitedMasters

Apple

Matthew Panzarino, writing for TechCrunch:

Independent music distribution platform and tool factory UnitedMasters has raised a $50M series B round led by Apple. A16z and Alphabet are participating again in this raise. United Masters is also entering a strategic partnership with Apple alongside this investment. 

If you’re unfamiliar with UnitedMasters, it’s a distribution company launched in 2017 by Steve Stoute, a former Interscope and Sony Music executive. The focus of UnitedMasters is to provide artists with a direct pipeline to data around the way that fans are interacting with their content and community, allowing them to connect more directly to offer tickets, merchandise and other commercial efforts. UnitedMasters also generally allows artists to retain control of their own masters.

Bring ‘Ted Lasso’ Energy Into Your Life!

Maureen Ryan, writing at Vanity Fair:

In the final month of this terrible year, I’m here to celebrate the achievements of a white man who is manifestly unqualified for his job. No, I did not expect to end up here. But then—and I am the first person to point this out—2020 has been incredibly weird and tough.

The man in question is a mustachio’ed gent named Ted Lasso, and while he may have his share of flaws and blind spots, which he would freely admit, I am here to tell you that Ted Lasso the show is just fucking delightful. It’s not only an entertaining antidote to craptacular 2020, it also provides the kind of energy and ideas we should absolutely bring into 2021. But before I explain why Ted Lasso is not just good but Important, here’s a brief explainer of what it is. I’m not going to spoil any key plot points, because I want you to watch it, and thank me later.

Great review for a great series.

MusicBot 1.1

iPhone

Federico has launched the new version of his MusicBot Shortcut via MacStories. It includes some nifty Chorus.fm integrations to pull in our news feed as well.

The result is MusicBot 1.1, the first substantial update to the original shortcut that introduces full support for iOS 14’s compact UI and Home Screen widgets, Shazam integration, the ability to read music news and check release dates inside MusicBot, plus other fixes and enhancements.

Apple Music TV: 24-Hour Music Videos

Apple has launched Apple Music TV, a free 24-hour music video livestream. Variety reports:

Apple has launched Apple Music TV, a free 24-hour curated livestream of popular music videos that will also include “exclusive new music videos and premiers, special curated music video blocks, and live shows and events as well as chart countdowns and guests,” according to the announcement.

Apple Music TV will be available to U.S. residents only on the Apple Music app and the Apple TV app.

Soor Offers Customizable Widgets for Apple Music

iPhone

MacStories details the third party Apple Music app, Soor, and their customizable home screen widgets for iOS 14:

Soor’s Now Playing widget is a much nicer way to find out what you’re listening to. Sticking a small widget on your Home screen or in your Today view will not only display the name of the currently playing song, but also provide artwork and let you know what music is coming up next. 

Shazam Getting Control Center Button

iPhone

Jay Peters, writing for The Verge:

Apple bought music recognition app Shazam in 2018, and now it’s integrating it into iOS in another big way — a new Music Recognition feature can identify songs playing around you as well as in apps on your phone. And it even works when you’re listening to music on your headphones.

The new feature is available as a toggle in Control Center, but it does require a developer beta of iOS 14.2 if you want to try it right now.

I use Shazam very frequently, often when watching a TV show or movie. On iOS 14 you can assign “back taps” to a Shortcut, so I assigned a double tap on the back of the phone to a Shazam Shortcut that listens and identifies the song.

MusicHarbor Gets iOS 14 Update

Apps

MusicHarbor, a great app for tracking new music coming out from your favorite artists, got a big iOS 14 update. MacStories has a rundown of the new features:

MusicHarbor also offers three types of widgets: Upcoming Releases, Latest Releases, and Stats. Upcoming Releases and Latest Releases draw from the albums collected in those sections of the app. Upcoming releases come in small and medium variants, while Latest Releases also includes a large widget. Each type displays a grid of album art, album details in some cases, and release date. The small widgets simply act as launchers for MusicHarbor, while the medium and large ones will open the album tapped.

Mark Hoppus Gets His Own Apple Music Radio Show

Mark Hoppus

Apple is rebranding Beats 1 as Apple Music 1. Along with the new channels a bunch of musicians are getting shows. Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 is one of them.

Apple Music Hits offers a full catalog of the biggest songs fans know and love from the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s. The station features remarkable new shows from notable artists and hosts, connecting listeners with the stories behind the most popular songs in the world.

Apple Music Hits will be helmed by daily on-air hosts Jayde Donovan, Estelle, Lowkey, Jenn Marino, Sabi, Nicole Sky and Natalie Sky, George Stroumboulopoulos (“House of Strombo”), along with special shows from Ari Melber and others. Fans can also tune in to hear new exclusive shows from artists like Backstreet Boys, Ciara, Mark Hoppus, Huey Lewis, Alanis Morissette, Snoop Dogg, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain, and more.

If anyone at Apple would like to give me a show, I’d take it. Just throwing that out into the universe.

Apple Releases Big Logic Pro X Update

Apple

Apple:

Logic Pro X 10.5 represents the biggest update to Logic since the launch of Logic Pro X, with powerful new tools that will inspire every artist — from those just getting started with Logic, to those already using it to produce Grammy Award-winning albums. We can’t wait to hear what these artists create next.”

Apple Music Starts $50 Million COVID-19 Advance Fund for Indie Labels

Rolling Stone:

Apple Music is the latest company to offer industry relief amid the coronavirus pandemic. It told independent record labels Tuesday that it is launching a $50 million advance royalty fund to make sure their artists get paid.

According to a letter sent to the labels and obtained by Rolling Stone, independent labels that earn at least $10,000 in quarterly Apple Music earnings will qualify for the royalty advances. To qualify, the indie labels must have a direct Apple Music distribution deal.

Apple’s Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro X have 90-day free trials for a limited time

The Verge:

Apple’s creative professional apps — video editing software Final Cut Pro X and music production suite Logic Pro X — now have free 90-day trials for a limited time.

The coronavirus pandemic has left many homebound and unable to attend school or work, so having access to professional tools that cost hundreds of dollars during this time is a big deal. “We hope customers who are home and looking for something new to master will try out these free trials,” reads Apple’s announcement.