As of this afternoon, many developers and public beta testers running the latest iOS 8.4 beta are seeing popups for Apple's upcoming Apple Music service within the Music app.
When opening the app, there's a popup for Apple Music that prompts users to start a three month free trial. Tapping on that option leads to another screen that lets users choose either an individual plan for $9.99 for a family plan for $14.99, but there's no way to actually sign up for a plan. Choosing a plan simply grays out the option and does not allow users to progress further in the signup process.
These options have been showing up for some users since the latest iOS 8.4 beta was seeded yesterday morning, but many more users are now seeing signs of the Apple Music service as Apple begins to implement backend tools to support subscription signups at launch.
Apple Music will launch on June 30 as part of iOS 8.4, and it will be built into the Music app. The full Apple Music experience includes an on-demand streaming music service, the Beats 1 radio station, and Apple Connect, a social networking service connecting fans and artists.
Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly nine months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
In his Powe...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
We are still waiting for the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate to come out, so the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week or two away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
The calendar has turned to February, and a new report indicates that Apple's next product launch is "imminent," in the form of new MacBook Pro models.
"All signs point to an imminent launch of next-generation MacBook Pros that retain the current form factor but deliver faster chips," Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said on Sunday. "I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated...
Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple is planning to launch new MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips alongside macOS 26.3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
"Apple's faster MacBook Pros are planned for the macOS 26.3 release cycle," wrote Gurman, in his Power On newsletter today.
"I'm told the new models — code-named J714 and J716 — are slated for the macOS 26.3 software cycle, which runs from...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:55 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In 2022, Apple introduced a new Apple Home architecture that is "more reliable and efficient," and the deadline to upgrade and avoid issues is fast approaching.
In an email this week, Apple gave customers a final reminder to upgrade their Home app by February 10, 2026. Apple says users who do not upgrade may experience issues with accessories and automations, or lose access to their smart...
If the streaming quality isn't as good as Spotify's (320kbps) then there's not too much point many people switching over imo.
The bitrate of MP3 and AAC files should not be directly compared. A 256 kbps AAC sounds just as good (if not better) than a 320 kbps MP3. As a bonus you use less data.
I heard bad things about family sharing, hesitant to turn that on. Also, forget family sharing for a bit and think of single-user, wonder if it will let you login to multiple devices on the same account simultaneously. I know spotify doesn't.
Bad things? I have absolutely no problems with using Family Sharing.
If you do this in the UK the app says the pricing is £9.99 and £14.99. Very interesting as Im pretty sure this hasn't been announced / mentioned anywhere yet, only the US pricing.
