Apple Music for Android to finally get tablet support

It was back in 2015 when Apple finally played nice and launched Apple Music for Android, with the app getting a makeover last year. Now, three years after launch, the Android version of Apple Music is finally getting support for tablets.

As discovered by Android Police, version 2.7 of the app, which is currently only available to beta testers, includes “performance improvements for images and audio playback”, the usual host of bug fixes, and “tablet support” in the changelog.

For most of the public, the current stable release available on the Google Play Store is version 2.6.1, which still features the classic collapsible hamburger menu. The new beta update eliminates this part of the interface for a bottom navigation bar.

Version 2.7 of the Apple Music app for Android adds a bottom navigation bar for easier control on larger screens | Image: PixelSpot

Version 2.7 of the Apple Music app for Android adds a bottom navigation bar for easier control on larger screens | Image: PixelSpot

With Android tablets not quite enjoying the popularity of the iPad, and the number of Android users subscribing to Apple Music likely quite low, this change may not benefit many people. However, anyone on a family plan with multiple devices across platforms might make good use of the changes.

This isn’t the first time Apple has played nice with third-party hardware. In September, Apple rolled out support for Android Auto, and only last week decide to played nice with Amazon to announce that Apple Music can be streamed on Echo speakers from December 17, 2018.

Sharmishta Sarkar
Managing Editor (APAC)

Sharmishta is TechRadar's APAC Managing Editor and loves all things photography, something she discovered while chasing monkeys in the wilds of India (she studied to be a primatologist but has since left monkey business behind). While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, she's also an avid reader and has become a passionate proponent of ereaders, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about the convenience of these underrated devices. When she's not testing camera kits or the latest in e-paper tablets, she's discovering the joys and foibles of smart home gizmos. She's also the Australian Managing Editor of Digital Camera World and, if that wasn't enough, she contributes to T3 and Tom's Guide, while also working on two of Future's photography print magazines Down Under.