In the next version of Apple Music under iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, Apple is adding some useful functions. For the first time, there will be a kind of DJ mode, as we know it from Spotify. Apple is also adding new display options and the display of lyrics in phonetic transcription so that you can sing along even if you don't speak the language. There is also the familiar “Liquid Glass” design, which is also being implemented in the Group's other apps.

The new DJ function is called AutoMix and complements the previous cross-fade function, which, however, only worked very simply. According to Apple, AutoMix works “like a DJ” and “knows how to seamlessly merge songs”. Activation is simple if you have enabled the function in the app settings: it can be found in the same area where you previously activated repeat, shuffle, or Apple's “AutoPlay” feature, which selects suitable songs next.

The song is analyzed beforehand using AI technology, and the system uses a beat-matching function including time-stretching to match the two tracks to each other. According to Apple, the app can also find “the perfect moment” for the transition. It is commendable that AutoMix is not an explicit Apple Intelligence feature, so the function does not require an iPhone that is compatible with it.

Another new feature in Apple Music is a translation for song lyrics, if these are available. If you want to sing along but don't speak the language in question, you can now also activate “Lyrics Pronunciation”, i.e., a phonetic transcription. Finally, Apple Music displays animations with cover art in full screen and allows you to “pin” your favorite playlists on the overview page.

Apple Music will receive the new functions in the fall as part of the updates to iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 – presumably they will also land on the Mac (with macOS 26). Apple Music is a paid streaming service that currently costs €11 per month. The app is pre-installed on Apple devices. From July, there will be public beta versions of the new operating systems, which can then be tested freely. A developer beta phase is currently underway.

(bsc)