In late 2022, Microsoft announced that Apple Music and Apple TV apps would soon launch on Windows. The good news is that they are finally here. Windows users no longer need to rely on the old iTunes app for Windows, or the web versions of Apple Music or Apple TV+.
The bad news is that they are preview versions. This means that they’re in early beta and may not run as smoothly as they’re supposed to so far – hence they seem to be missing some features. You can download them now, but most users will encounter a warning notifying them that iTunes will no longer work and other features may not be fully functional. You’ll also risk losing some content, like podcasts or audiobooks.
In particular, the Apple TV app appears to be missing Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, though regular 4K HDR is available. Dolby Atmos audio doesn’t seem to work in either app, though lossless audio support sounds fine in the Apple Music app. The loss of both Vision and Atmos is a shame for anyone with a TV connected to their computer, but probably won’t be a problem for anyone viewing it on a regular computer monitor with wireless headphones.
Some other features aren’t here either, like Apple Music’s lyrics option. Apple declined to comment on whether these features will be added later — but as we mentioned above, these are only in beta, so it’s entirely possible that they will appear later.
In addition to Apple Music and Apple TV, there is also a preview version of a new app called Apple Devices. This allows you to manage and sync content across multiple Apple products on Windows, which is a necessary addition considering you’ve relied on iTunes to do this in the past. to me Mac rumors (Opens in a new tab)This app is also interesting because it seems to have some references to Apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset.
If you want to try the preview versions of the Apple Music apps, Apple TV, and Apple devices, you can click on the links below:
We don’t expect you’ll struggle with these preview releases, but if you’d rather not risk losing content or features temporarily, play it safe and wait for stable versions of the apps to arrive—especially if you rely on podcasts and audiobooks to get you through your day.
Once the new apps are up and running properly, they will provide a more streamlined experience for Windows users using Apple services. The Apple TV app will provide users with access to TV+ subscription content, as well as other Apple TV channels, such as Paramount+ and Showtime. You will also still be able to access any rented or purchased content from within the app as well.
With the Apple Music app, you will have access to Apple Music, as well as your music library. But that’s where the new Apple Devices app comes in, which you’ll need to sync your media to your iPhone or iPad via a cable.