Can i stream music from icloud

Keep in mind it may take some time for iCloud Music Library to be useable. Depending on how much content you already have in your iTunes library it could take anywhere from a few minutes to multiple hours after initially turning the feature on.

Apple Music is not a backup service. Be sure to back up your iOS devices, and your Mac or PC, so that you have a copy of your music and other information if your device is ever replaced, lost, or damaged. Be sure to check out our how to guide for more ways to get the most out of your Apple devices.

When a company offers a song to stream, they only have to store one copy of that song. When customers can upload their music, they have to potentially save thousands of copies. Apple views this feature as worth the cost.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:. Second, both networks would suffer significant slowdowns from all that music streaming, because unlike downloads, which can happen at any pace, and which only need to happen once in order for the user to listen to it as many times as they want, music streaming has to happen in near-real-time, and must happen every time the user presses the Play button.

Quite obviously, cellular service providers are not like ISPs, although they both deliver data to devices. Naturally, you can also follow your friends and see what they're up to across both platforms.

While it's much easier to find profiles on Apple Music than it is on Spotify, you do have to already have your friends in your contacts list or on Facebook to follow them.

Spotify has Group Sessions that lets two or more Premium subscribers control music playback and collaborate on a shared playlist. If you want a free service, Spotify is the clear winner. But if you are looking to pay for a service, your decision may be a little more complicated. Apple Music plays well with other Apple devices. If you want voice control on the HomePod, for example, Apple Music is your only option.

Spotify, on the other hand, has greater cross-compatibility across lots of different devices, from game consoles to smart speakers. It takes time to train each of these services to really get to know your taste. For our money, Spotify does a better job in uncovering and tailoring playlists and recommendations to us through its custom playlists and discovery features. But Apple Music gives you the most flexibility in mixing songs from your own library that might not even be on streaming services with new tunes you can stream on demand.

Of course, Spotify and Apple Music aren't your only options for streaming music services. To see how they stack up against competitors like Tidal and Amazon, click here to read our comparison. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

Lexy Savvides , Vanessa Hand Orellana. Best for cross-compatibility and podcasts. Apple Music. Best if you have a big existing music library and want lossless audio. Now playing: Watch this: Apple Music vs. Spotify: Music streaming battle. Best sites to buy MP3 music See all photos. CNET Mobile. No, only Beats1 radio.