iOS 17 Apple Music Features: Everything New
Apple introduced several exciting upgrades to Apple Music in iOS 17, including long-awaited features like crossfade playback and collaborative playlists. The update also brings interface refinements, expanded karaoke functionality, and improved music-sharing experiences.
Crossfade
One of the most requested Apple Music features has finally arrived in iOS 17: Crossfade.
Crossfade creates smooth transitions between songs by gradually fading out the current track while fading in the next one, eliminating awkward pauses or silence between songs. Users can also customize the duration of the crossfade effect to match their listening preferences.
Collaborative Playlists
iOS 17 introduces collaborative playlists, allowing multiple people to contribute to the same Apple Music playlist.
Friends and family members can:
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Add songs
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Remove songs
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Reorder tracks
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React to songs using emoji
This makes playlist sharing more interactive and social, especially for parties, road trips, and group listening sessions.
Apple noted that collaborative playlists were not available at the initial launch of iOS 17 and would arrive in a later update.
Apple Music SharePlay for CarPlay
Apple expanded SharePlay support to CarPlay in iOS 17, making it easier for everyone in a car to participate in music playback.
The driver’s iPhone must have an active Apple Music subscription and be connected to CarPlay, but passengers do not need subscriptions to contribute songs.
Passengers can scan a QR code displayed on the CarPlay screen to access the shared music queue, where they can add tracks and help control the playlist during the drive.
Refreshed Music Player Interface
Apple updated the Apple Music interface with several visual improvements in iOS 17.
Albums that support animated artwork now display full-screen visuals, creating a more immersive listening experience. Album art also blends more naturally into the music player background and controls.
Additionally, the minimized music player now features a subtle floating effect that adds depth and motion to the interface.
Improved Lyrics Display
Lyrics that are not synchronized with music playback are now shown in a larger and more readable font.
This update creates a more consistent appearance between synced and non-synced lyrics, making it easier to follow along with songs.
Song Credits
Apple Music now makes song credits more accessible.
By tapping the three-dot menu next to a song, users can view detailed credits, including:
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Performing artists
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Songwriters and composers
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Producers
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Engineers and other contributors
This feature gives more visibility to the people involved in music production.
Apple Music Sing on Apple TV
Apple enhanced the Apple Music Sing experience for Apple TV users.
With an iPhone running iOS 17 or an iPad connected to an Apple TV 4K using tvOS 17, the device can function as a live camera during karaoke sessions. Your video appears on the TV screen while you sing along to music.
Apple Music Sing works with Apple Music’s live lyrics feature and can reduce vocal levels in songs so users can sing more clearly over the music.
Learn More
iOS 17 includes many additional improvements across Apple apps and system features, making the update more polished, interactive, and user-friendly overall.