I’ve used Apple Music since it launched, and I’m not planning on moving away. It fits perfectly with my household ecosystem. It has all my personal music and access to everything else out there. Apple Music features great benefits like free lyrics and lossless audio.
But the latest Apple Music updates felt small and lacked impact. Some features are useful, like creating folders in the iOS app and AutoMix, which blends your music more effectively.
Here are five Apple Music features I wish Apple would finally add that would make the service dramatically better for everyday users, especially parents and multi-device households.
1. Apple Music Needs an iCloud Queue That Syncs Across Devices
Currently, you can create a queue of music using the Up Next feature. But it only stays on the device you create it on. If you create a list of jams on your Mac and pick up your iPhone, that carefully crafted queue is gone.
I wish Apple would add an iCloud Queue that syncs your Up Next across all your Apple devices.
There have been times when I have created a great Up Next playlist on my Mac mini and then have to leave. All that music I queued up is just stuck there and can’t go with me. But Spotify offers something like this.
Third party apps like Albums have this feature. If I start listening to an album on my iPhone and switch to another device, my queue follows me.
Albums proves Apple could create the feature.
2. Apple Music Should Support Handoff Between iPhone, iPad, and Mac
You can tap your iPhone to a HomePod and instantly transfer music. That’s great.
But why can’t I do that with my Mac or iPad?
Apple already has Handoff built into its ecosystem. I regularly see Handoff suggestions for apps — but not for Apple Music playback.
Even if Apple doesn’t build an iCloud Queue, simple music Handoff that transfers the current song, position, and queue to another device would make moving between devices seamless.
3. Let Me Remove Songs From My Apple Music Listening History
The moment you have kids, your Apple Music recommendations stop belonging to you.
My listening history is now filled with Danny Go, KiBoomers, and Disney songs. My New Music Mix is a chaotic blend of kids’ tracks and 90s alternative. Don’t get me wrong, Danny Go can get me moving and get stuck in my head, but I don’t want to be recommended him every time I open Apple Music.
Apple offers ways to disable Listening History or use Focus Modes, but in real life — especially while driving — it’s easy to forget.
I want a simple option in Recently Played that says:
Don’t use this for recommendations.
Parents everywhere would use this constantly.
4. Apple Music Profiles for Different Listening Moods
I listen to very different music depending on the situation:
- Lo-fi while reading
- Focus music while working
- Kids music in the car
- My music when I’m alone
Apple Music treats this as one personality. It shouldn’t.
Simple listening profiles — possibly tied to Focus Modes — could keep these tastes separate and dramatically improve recommendations.
I would love to move to my Work Focus Mode and get recommendations based on what I listen to when I work, or get my kids recommendations when I’m with my kids.
5. Use Apple Intelligence to Build Smarter Playlists
Recently, ChatGPT added the ability to integrate with Apple Music and create playlists based on your prompts.
It was interesting to tell ChatGPT what kind of playlist I wanted and watch it create it. I requested a wide variety of music on the same playlist, and it delivered.
But this integration lacks knowledge about you. It doesn’t have access to the music I’ve trained my library with.
Apple could integrate its AI to create a playlists. I can imagine all the different offerings, like make a playlist for my workout with this type of music or I’m cooking tacos tonight, play some music that fits the theme.
I like the playlist that Apple Music provides, but I don’t always want to be stuck in one genre. I want a varied mix of music. I think AI Apple Music Playlist could fit that need.
These Apple Music Features Would Make A Big Difference
Apple Music is already excellent, but these features would make it dramatically better for real-world use — especially for families and people who move between devices all day.
What features do you wish Apple Music had? I’d love to hear them.
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