In late XNUMX, Microsoft announced that the Apple Music and Apple TV apps would soon be released on Windows. The good news is that they are finally here. Windows users no longer need to rely on the outdated iTunes for Windows app or web-based versions of Apple Music or Apple TV+.
The bad news is that these are preliminary versions. This means that they are in an early beta stage and may not work as well as they should and therefore seem to be missing some features. You can download them now, but most users will receive a warning that iTunes will no longer work and other features may not work at all. You are also in danger of losing content, such as your podcasts or audiobooks.
In particular, the Apple TV app seems to lack support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, though standard 4K HDR is available. Dolby Atmos sound doesn't seem to work in either app, though lossless audio support seems fine in the Apple Music app. Losing Vision and Atmos is a shame for anyone with a TV connected to their PC, but might not be a problem for anyone watching on a regular PC monitor with wireless headphones.
Some other quirks aren't there either, like the lyrics option in Apple Music. Apple declined to say if these features would be added at a later date, but as we previously mentioned, they're only in beta, so it's really possible they might show up later.
In addition to Apple Music and Apple TV, there's also a preview of a new app called Apple Devices. This lets you manage and sync content from multiple Apple products in Windows, a welcome addition since you would have relied on iTunes to do this in the past. According to MacRumors(Opens in a new tab), this app is also interesting as it seems to contain references to Apple's upcoming mixed reality headset.
If you want to try the preview versions of the Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Devices apps, you can click on the links below:
We don't expect you to run into any major issues with these prior view collections, but if you'd rather not risk losing content or functionality temporarily, play it safe and wait for the stable collections of apps to arrive, especially if you're relying on podcasts and audiobooks for accompany you throughout the day.
Once the new apps are up and running properly, they will provide a much simpler experience for Windows users using Apple services. The Apple TV app will let users access subscription TV+ content, as well as other Apple TV channels like Paramount+ and Showtime. You will also be able to access any rented or purchased content from the application.
With the Apple Music app, you'll be able to access Apple Music, just like your music library. But that's where the new Apple Devices app comes in, which you'll need to sync your media with iPhone or iPad via cable.