Although it might not be the first choice for die-hard Google users, Apple Music is a pretty solid streaming choice — yes, even on Android. The company's done a great job in implementing platform-exclusive features you won't find on iOS, like robust widgets complete with playback controls. With a future update, Apple Music plans to make these widgets even better.
As spotted by
9to5Google, the latest beta of the
ever-popular Spotify alternative includes some improvements to both of its widgets. The most significant visual difference comes from matching colors with album artwork. While it's not quite up to par with
YouTube Music's Material You themes, Apple Music will finally drop its default pink hue when a song is actively playing, matching the primary color from the song's associated art. When music isn't playing, it'll revert back to its usual appearance.
Widgets are also getting resized, gaining a little more room in exchange for padding around the border of each tool. It's a minor change, but it definitely makes better use of the space provided compared to the original layout. The "Recently Played" widget also gets new grid sizes, with 3x2 and 3x1 available.
Although Apple Music v3.9 beta is up for grabs over at
APK Mirror, I couldn't get these refreshed widgets to appear on my home screen. They may still be hidden behind some flag in the background, though your luck may vary.
9to5Google also spotted a new string of code pointing to a new app, Apple Classical, coming to Android soon. The company acquired
Primephonic in 2021, with plans to launch a successor sometime this year. It seems like Apple Classical is likely the candidate, and users will be able to launch right from the general Music app into the dedicated classical music service. Presumably, we'll learn more about this sometime in the next few months, when Classical — or whatever it's called — gets an official reveal.