In late 2022, Microsoft announced that the Apple Music and Apple TV apps would soon launch on Windows. The good news is that they are finally here. Windows users no longer have to rely on the outdated iTunes for Windows app or online versions of Apple Music or Apple TV+.
The bad news is that these are preview builds. This means that they are in the early stages of beta and may not run as smoothly as they should yet – and they seem to be missing a few features. You can download them right now, but most users will see a warning that iTunes will stop working and other features may not work fully. You also risk losing some content, such as podcasts or audiobooks.
In particular, the Apple TV app does not appear to support Dolby Vision and HDR10+, although regular 4K HDR is available. Dolby Atmos audio doesn’t seem to work in any app, although support for lossless audio seems to be fine in the Apple Music app. Losing both Vision and Atmos is a shame for anyone with a TV connected to a PC, but maybe it won’t be such a problem for anyone watching on a regular PC monitor with wireless headphones.
Several other features are also missing here, such as the text option in Apple Music. Apple declined to comment on whether these features will be added later – but as we mentioned above, they’re only in beta, so it’s entirely possible they’ll come later.
In addition to Apple Music and Apple TV, there is also a preview of a new app called Apple Devices. This allows you to manage and sync the content of multiple Apple products on Windows, which is a must-have addition considering you’ve relied on iTunes in the past. According MacRumors (opens in a new tab)this app is also interesting because it seems to contain some references to apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset.
If you want to try previews of Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Devices, you can click on the links below:
We don’t expect you to run into major difficulties with these previews, but if you don’t want to risk a temporary loss of content or features, play it safe and wait for stable versions of the app to come out – especially if you rely on podcasts and audiobooks to get you through the day.
When the new apps work properly, they will provide a significantly improved user experience for Windows users using Apple services. The Apple TV app will give users access to TV+ subscription content as well as other Apple TV channels such as Paramount+ and Showtime. You’ll also still be able to access your rented or purchased content from within the app.
With the Apple Music app, you’ll 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 cable.