I hear the same from some friends and while I don’t use Apple music I see the Android app seems great.
Keep trying to convince the Reddiors
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I thought you had all the subscriptions, collecting them like trinkets ? 
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Only most of them and it’s damned difficult to give them up .
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When I hear that I go and try, I had tried the android based DAP for two month and the day I stopped I could breath free again. No, I’m not from reddit even have to indirectly support that nonsense.
I also hear people like to flip LPs, tried it every few years until 2017, then gave all of my LPs to a willing hipster and got rid of the LP player, same feeling - free. AM for streaming and Roon for my own files is the only way for me 
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I think it’s less that Apple was a decade late with lossless, more-so, the harsh reality for us audiophiles that the great majority more than likely simply do not care about lossless.
I am sure someone will post survey results from potential streaming customers, where they undoubtedly list sound quality as a top priority. That may be true, until it comes time to actually pay for it.
There are many reasons why the top players in the space have the most market share, but, I think the fact that services like Qobuz/Tidal are, unfortunately, constantly in the “Other” category in the pie chart of subscriber numbers, speaks volumes.
I’d argue that the move to lossless was actually a proactive one by Apple, seeing as we’re still waiting for Spotify (who cares that they announced first if they didn’t deliver?). Make no mistake; the priorities for Apple were cutting Spotify off at the knees and Spatial/Dolby audio. Lossless was practically incidental.
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I agree with this. More important for most are wireless, multi-room, and voice-control. Where Apple has primarily innovated is in the areas of wireless and miniaturization, which has paid off; AirPod sales alone are larger than the entire audiophile industry combined.
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I don’t want to over-generalize, Alan, but, I feel a fundamental mistake we devout music lovers often make is assuming the masses don’t “get” the hobby as much as we do, when, in fact, many folks love music just as much, if not more so, they simply might not be as pedantic about certain things. Maybe a better way to phrase things is that they may not be as encumbered by some of our favorite hobby’s more peculiar edges. LOL
As for your point about Airpod sales: I’ve seen a few charts around, and the numbers are definitely staggering and eye-opening. I think it’s imperative for the growth of our hobby to meet the audience where they are, and not alienate anyone based upon their choice of equipment or service.
Sorry for dragging things off-topic, folks, but, we do need to do a better job of being more accepting.
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This is a great point. I’ve seen a lot of people on reddit, friends too that are now looking at Apple Music because it has better audio quality.
People who aren’t into HiFi still love their music, they do want a better experience they just aren’t willing to go to the same length as enthusiasts.
Most people are listening to music on airpods or Bluetooth headphones / speakers so they wont benefit from lossless but I do think this move from Apple has shown that there is an opportunity to up the game in recording quality / mastering.
I also think its extremely likely that Apple will solve the Bluetooth problem and will also look at using homepods for home theater lite systems. Atmos but plug and play.
All of this will result in enthusiasts getting better music for their incredible systems and everyone else getting a higher baseline of quality.
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Mark my words. You can put this down, bookmark it, and take it to the bank: Apple will overcome the limitations of Bluetooth by year’s end.
If nothing else, I’ll be able to read this thread without someone popping in every four posts to remind those trying to actually enjoy Apple music that it’s not truly bit-perfect 
J/K…Sort of
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There’s also a gear-fetish component to audiophilia, where the hobby can become more about playing with the gear than the listening. Some would argue that audiophiles invent problems to solve just to keep the buy-and-sell ball rolling. Of course the industry is more than happy to oblige.
For the non-audiophile music lover, sound quality in consumer gear reached a point somewhere beyond “good enough” many years ago. When that happened, the focus shifted from sound quality to improving the overall user experience. Since a number of well-implemented blind tests have shown that a very large majority of people (even trained listeners, musicians, and audiophiles) can’t reliably hear the difference between modern, high bitrate lossy codecs and lossless, there’s probably something to be learned here from the non-audiophile.
As for the future, I think it’s already here. The era of the two-channel system with a pinpoint listening position in a dedicated space has passed. Most young people, even enthusiasts, are listening through headphones (some quite expensive), or multi-room wireless systems that provide an immersive experience as they move around the house. Atmos in headphones is definitely a thing, though I think it’s still a question whether or not it will take hold with speakers. If it does, it will most likely be as you described, and perhaps in automobiles. In any case, there’s lots to be excited about, but perhaps lossless streaming isn’t one of them.
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Issue on Android, it uses the common Android USB driver… Same with Amazon…Depending on your Android phone you have serious issues to run an external DAC…No integration of Apple in USB Player Pro or Hiby (both implementing their own USB Drivers in order to avoid Stock Android. If you are lucky to have an LG Vxx you are lucky…So, it depends.)
However myself running Qobuz on Android in USB Player Pro. Imo best mobile solution for hires so far. Prefer Qobuz to Tidal, because it is not required to be bitperfect for MQA unfolding by DAC. So you cann apply DSP to the Qobuz stream, e.g. parametric equalizer or headphone IRs…
In case you rooted your Android, all differen ofcourse…Viper stuff opens, etc… But myself too old for this games meanwhile lol
But you hear a difference when applying an EQ. With older ears required imo… 
(Apple fan since 1982 
)
Found recently that Apple Music will play high res via android (on 12) however it seems like there are complications to it (maybe able to do 96 bit perfect but below and above get resampled).
Android audio is a mess if you are looking for bit perfect playback or high res. Luckily for me, I am not bothered (the compromises on UI are too high). If you are, iOS is the way.
On my phone the app experience is way more important, to me Apple Music is unbeaten by Qobuz, Tidal or UAPP. Especially when some features come in handy, smart playlists being the biggest.
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right now still all resampled…think about rooting, it is fun! take a look at XDA, if you havent so far 
From what I saw Rooting wasn’t a great move (it can interfere with banking apps and couldn’t see a reliable way of actually getting bit perfect).
Have you found a good tutorial that will get it up and running?
I have the Xperia 1 iii, love having the headphone jack back, so it would be nice to actually remove this ridiculous issue.
great phone. do not touch it
Reading through this, I would rather just get an iphone
Thank you for sharing though 
Google really needs to get their [insert bad word here] together.
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true…lol…
In regards to those “blind tests”. The most I have seen are simply nonsense. Just take a look on yourself when listening to HQ music. Myself needs ca. 40 minutes to enter the critical listening mode, where it counts. When in this mode, it is just that little bit extra that makes the difference. And yes, you can hear it and you can enjoy it. For sure not in the subway This is not an analytical thing at all. For sure you know the experience that you get from certain tracks goose bumps when listening to equipment of a certain quality. You don´t get it on poor quality equipment, etc etc. Why you get the goose bumps? Too much of an analytical approach. People menthally focussing in blind tests to detect differences, wrong approach. Myself is required to leave the analytical stage to enjoy. It is that certain subtle difference you enjoy and you are willing to pay a price for. + BTW this group is called “Apple Music HIgh Res”, isn´t it? Have fun!
It is but the original premise of the post was to discuss the offering from Apple (did we like it or not) but also the wider impact of the move. Particularly in regards to Tidal and Qobuz, but also Roon itself.
Outside of Roon, I can’t see any major reason why someone would subscribe to Qobuz or Tidal over Apple Music (given it combines the features of both, Spatial from Tidal and high res from Qobuz) and provides a much larger library.
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