The Apple Music app for Android devices was updated today, adding a new home screen widget that gives Android users the ability to control Apple Music playback without needing to open the Apple Music app.

The widget lets users view what's playing, and quickly pause, skip, rewind, and favorite songs. Today's update also lets Android users add songs directly to playlists without first needing to add them to the Apple Music, offers a way to redeem iTunes credit for membership renewal, and includes several other useful interface tweaks that should be a welcome change for Android Apple Music users.

applemusicandroid

Image via PocketNow

Now you can add songs from the Apple Music catalog to playlists without having to add it to your library. You can also:
- Control playback with a widget you can add to your home screen
- Redeem gift cards in Settings to renew your membership using iTunes credit
- See what's playing on Beats 1 directly from the Radio tab -- without having to tune in
- Tap the name of the currently playing song in Now Playing to go to the album
- See which songs are most popular on albums in the Apple Music catalog

Apple Music for Android can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.

Tag: Apple Music Guide

Top Rated Comments

Adam Betts Avatar
Adam Betts
129 months ago
Interesting how Apple is taking advantage of features on Android but refuses to loosen up with iOS
That's not the right way to view it. Apple have said that they're trying to make an app that feels right at home in Android even though they themselves may not agree with Android's UI trends.

If a highly-requested feature isn't on iOS yet, it usually means that Apple haven't found a right approach, something that would fit in with iOS properly. Remember iOS copynpaste?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
glindon Avatar
glindon
129 months ago
Interesting how Apple is taking advantage of features on Android but refuses to loosen up with iOS
There is a widget on iOS. Swipe up to open control center. The widget is always available no matter where you are in iOS unlike this widget that is only on that particular home screen.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
macduke
129 months ago
All this arguing about iOS needing widgets and here I am wondering what everyone is talking about? I've got a ton of widgets available from either my lock screen or anywhere I am: the Today view! Works great and keeps everything nice and tidy. I've got widgets for all sorts of things: weather and radar, sports scores, stocks, calendar, data plan usage, thermostat controls, to-do lists, pedometer, system monitoring, breaking news and package deliveries. What is everyone complaining about? I've even got widgets on my Watch! Widgets for days. WIDGETS FOR WEEKS! A man could go mad with this kind of power.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnApples Avatar
JohnApples
129 months ago
All this arguing about iOS needing widgets and here I am wondering what everyone is talking about? I've got a ton of widgets available from either my lock screen or anywhere I am: the Today view! Works great and keeps everything nice and tidy. I've got widgets for all sorts of things: weather and radar, sports scores, stocks, calendar, data plan usage, thermostat controls, to-do lists, pedometer, system monitoring, breaking news and package deliveries. What is everyone complaining about? I've even got widgets on my Watch! Widgets for days. WIDGETS FOR WEEKS! A man could go mad with this kind of power.
I loved when they added widgets, and I added a bunch to my Today view, but I sadly can't say they work great for me. Every single time I slide down the NC, the widgets are all blank and take a few seconds to load the data. And they don't do it all at the same time either, which causes them to all expand/contract out of order and is impossible for me to select anything for about 6 seconds.

Do you experience this? I'd love for my widgets to be a lot smoother... Maybe it's just the ones I'm currently using?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Refurbished_ Avatar
_Refurbished_
129 months ago
How does AM on iOS differ from AM on Android? Aside from the widget, of course.
It doesn't work.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
waterskier2007 Avatar
waterskier2007
129 months ago
There is a widget on iOS. Swipe up to open control center. The widget is always available no matter where you are in iOS unlike this widget that is only on that particular home screen.
That is by far the dumbest point I have ever seen. I am not saying I want or don't want widgets, but if I was going to argue against them, this is not the point I would base my argument on.

Widgets would be something available for any app to implement, whereas control center is locked to what Apple decides should be there.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Popular Stories

Aston Martin CarPlay Ultra Screen

Apple's CarPlay Ultra to Expand to These Vehicle Brands Later This Year

Sunday February 1, 2026 10:08 am PST by
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...
Read Full Article • 88 comments
Apple Logo Black

Apple's Next Launch is 'Imminent'

Sunday February 1, 2026 12:31 pm PST by
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...
Read Full Article
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

New MacBook Pros Reportedly Launching Alongside macOS 26.3

Sunday February 1, 2026 5:42 am PST by
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...
Read Full Article • 137 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by
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...
Read Full Article • 25 comments
14 inch MacBook Pro Keyboard

Apple Changes How You Order a Mac

Saturday January 31, 2026 10:51 am PST by
Apple recently updated its online store with a new ordering process for Macs, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. There used to be a handful of standard configurations available for each Mac, but now you must configure a Mac entirely from scratch on a feature-by-feature basis. In other words, ordering a new Mac now works much like ordering an...
Read Full Article • 127 comments