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In what was an inevitable move, search engine and Android giant Google has added a music-streaming service to its offering.
Google Play Music, initially launched in the US and Canada, landed in South Africa with an attractive price of R49.99 a month.
Earlier this year, tech giant Apple, also as expected, announced its streaming service, Apple Music, at R59.99 a month, which is cheaper than Tidal, which costs $4.99 (R75) a month.
Music streaming is a massive business – if you can stay in business – and everyone with the capital and appetite wants in. But if you already have Apple Music, Tidal or Deezer (R59.99 a month), should you consider the Google offering?
SIGNING IN
I am an Apple Music fanatic, and I use it together with Tidal, so I was a little anxious about trying something new. Unfortunately, getting started with Google Play Music wasn’t fun or easy. I downloaded the app, signed in with one of my Gmail accounts and got taken to a page telling me to sign up online, which I did.
Once I was done with that, I then tried to log back into my app because I wanted to make use of the service on my iPhone. No luck. I kept getting the “sign in online” screen on the app, which I then redownloaded in case there was something wrong with the first download. After two days of trying, I gave up on the app and worked the service online, which is useful in the office when I’m using my PC.
PRICING
After a free 30-day trial, a Google Play Music subscription is available for an introductory price of R49.99 a month. Users who sign up before January 26 will retain the introductory pricing for the life of their subscription. Users who sign up after January 26 will be charged R59.99 a month. There are also family plans, which make Google’s introductory offer cheaper than Apple and Tidal.
WHAT IT OFFERS
The service has a great selection of new music, and the best part (in addition to being able to combine your collection) is that you can store up to 50 000 songs for free online. You also get to create an advert-free radio station from any artist or songs you like, which you can add to or delete from as you wish. There are also curated playlists that you can select from based on how you’re feeling, what time of day it is, or whether you need to wake up happy, get energised, study or party. Like Tidal and Apple Music, you can pin music to make it available offline.
Another cool feature is that Google Play Music allows you to bring your iTunes music along, which is pretty smart because one of my gripes with using both Apple Music and Tidal is how there’s no integration.
HORRIBLE APP EXPERIENCE
Unfortunately, Google Play Music’s app experience (on my iPhone at least) is the worst
I’ve ever had. Between not letting me go past the “sign in online” page, it was hanging while trying to log me in for so long that I forgot I was waiting.
VERDICT
If you use your desktop or laptop web browser for your music, then Google Play Music is the one for you. Likewise, if you have an Android device, you’re pretty much good to go.
But if you have an iPhone, and only use an app for your music, this app is not great. If you want to use it on your iPhone, I would suggest that you enlist the services of a geek to help you with
setup.
. Google Play Music is available from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, or via play.google.com/music Google Play Music
One-month free trial, R49.99 a month thereafter (introductory offer)
3/5
Apple Music
Three-month free trial, R59.99 a month thereafter
4/5
