It’s just a method of selling more iPhone and Mac’s why would they want to harm there income streams. Spotify is purely a service with nothing else so had to gain an upper hand with integration as limited as it is. But this really offers nothing to Apple it’s a tick box of features to sell hardware nothing more.
Roon has already turned down offers to buy them.
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Yeah I’ve heard that but times are a changing .
If Roon can’t get Apple Music as one of the services, they should come out with a Roon mini player that lets you put Apple Music audio through Roon. I know something like this is possible because there’s a Mac app called bitperfect which basically does that. It lets you use other apps and put all the audio through it’s audio set up.
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I’ve just posted a similar thing on another thread. Apple’s (and Amazon’s) intention is clearly to dominate the streaming market so that they can sell more hardware. This is where the money is, not in streaming itself.
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I can’t help but think that Apple may need to at least consider 3rd party integration with Apple Music to make the most of lossless services they are now launching. Since their devices are somewhat hamstrung by the fact that neither AirPods Pro / Max etc can play lossless files, and by the fact that Airplay streaming bit rates are currently constrained, I think it may be that the full benefits of lossless streaming will only be available through complicated integration with a Mac and/or iPhone outputs (and the lightning connectors won’t work there either). Roon at least provides endpoints for lossless music streaming - and if Apple is going to actually gain share in lossless services, they need to ensure Apple Music can reach an audience that can listen to it in the hifi systems that lossless music would be targeted at. Apple TV’s can’t be the only endpoint they rely on… and not that many people solely rely on music from their Mac’s USB port.
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There are many complaints about Bit Perfect not doing all kinds of things, e.g. gapless playback, and crashing frequently. Apple are used to closed ecosystems and it’s hard to see them dealing with the server/player integration they need to support 3rd parties apps. In their new announcement about high res outputs to USB DACs, this will probably require an Apple player app in either a MAC or PC to deliver Apple Music streaming.
They already at least recognize the need for a DAC:
- Due to the large file sizes and bandwidth needed for Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless Audio, subscribers will need to opt in to the experience. Hi-Res Lossless also requires external equipment, such as a USB digital-to-analog converter (DAC).
from the bottom of the page here: Apple Music announces Spatial Audio and Lossless Audio - Apple
Nope. You can already play high res. (and lossless) files with the Apple Music app right now with any DAC, with or without BitPerfect.
Sure, but it uses the Apple Music app (player). My point was that Apple will be unlikely to act as a streaming service that can integrate with many other servers and players : e.g. logic media server, Plex, HQPlayer, Roon, JRiver, Audirvana, or the server-specific apps like Aurender Conductor, Lumin, Innuos 2.0. The only way to run Apple Music into your USB DAC probably is from a PC/Mac running the Apple Music app.
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That is true, but same for Amazon and they don’t seem to be bothered as they will call their crappy Alexa stuff. Its just marketing to keep up nothing more. Likely they will introduce some hires audio gear to go with it fully locked in of course stuff that will rival Sonos , Alexa and Google’s stuff. They know their market and Apple followers hoover up what ever they put out. Funny how their airpods will not support it until they move to using a different codec for BT or adopt yet another proprietary wireless system.
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You’re over exaggerating how much Apple locks things. Example, you can play Apple Music through Sonos: 3 Simple Ways to Play Apple Music on Sonos [2021]
It’s not as if Apple is not open to the idea of other players being able to play AppleMusic.
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Some on here want their streaming to be cheaper - with ZERO regard for the artists. Sad. If anything we should be paying more (as long as that more is going to the artists). Qobuz is supposedly the best on that front, so enough with the schadenfreude and keep supporting the small guys! Isn’t that why we’re here, on this particular forum, in the first place?
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FWIW, Apple pays the artists more than Spotify or Amazon. I’m not sure how what they pay compares to Qobuz.
No, iPhone and iPad works fine too…
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Confirm. Lightning to USB adapter works with a DAC. Some DACs require a powered USB hub in between, though.
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Just imagine a world where Apple, Spotify and Amazon are integrated in Roon 
Did read on here they’re getting rather close to integrating Deezer.
Probably too late!?
Deezer will be obliged to align their pricing (at the least) to Apple/Amazon and Spotify later.
Will the potential of a substantial part of Roon’ subscribers filling the gap?
I believe they will not have the funds to pull it off.
Dirk
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I have enough issues with sonic quality depending on server design, ethernet and usb noise issues. Now I’m going to run my pricey DAC from a battery powered iPhone?
Oh I am sure the news of Apple and Amazon top tiers offered at no extra will now significantly stir the pot. Curious about what Tidal will do about their £20 monthly top tier charge.