The rivalry between Android and iPhone is notable. Subsequently, these phone brands and their inner programs provide users with their amenities, (e.g. apps, music, books), through the also opposing iTunes Store and Google Play Store.
Apps to cross these services are not new to the mobile scene, though apps that are official, safe, and openly recognized by a competing company, usually do not jump to the foreground. When it comes to the of music, Dimitry Sokol of Sokolware LLC, has proven such apps can come to exist, as Sokol has connected the Apple iOS with Google Music through his app GoMusic, which was recently updated late last month. This app was first introduced to the world last year but has gone through several incarnations and updates to perfect its purposes, currently at v. 2.8.
The main features of GoMusic are essentially those of Google Music but attained through an iPhone or iPad. As stated above, when brought up in a user’s iTunes player, the full description for GoMusic emphasizes first and foremost that it is, “The only app with real Google authentication!!!!” Syncing is the primary function involved but GoMusic extends beyond a one-dimensional connection to successfully integrate other Apple hardware functions like AirPlay and Apple TV and have the two work well together for more options to stream using one’s iOS device.
The other main set of features include:
Playlists – Create new, delete old, edit, and access auto-playlists generated from actions like purchasing music, recently played or Google’s version of the Genius function: Instant Mix.
Multi-Tasking Usage – Some music apps aren’t able to play if you want to minimize the program to use something else. Some are able to do this but are not able to integrate the album artwork like the i-device’s native player. GoMusic does both and works with the same background or shortcut play controls users access in between apps.
Secure Data – The mixing of two major services and devices might cause unease about user data but GoMusic has two-step authentication and is always using a HTTPS connection with encryption by default.
Music Transfer – Any tracks a user wants to hear while without a wi-fi or network connection can be downloaded to their device for offline playback.
Music Search – Just like in the Google Play Store and Apple’s native music app, users can search within their many tracks by artist, album or individual song.
Pandora-Style Rating – Each track that plays can be given a “Thumbs Up” or “Thumbs Down” and the collection of tracks a user gives the former will automatically become another available playlist.
As a complete app, GoMusic appears to have conquered the technical schism dividing Google and Apple’s music stores, while not drastically altering what i-device users are accustomed to with their existing native apps and accompanying fluid functionality. The idea of having the best of both worlds might make GoMusic sound too good to be true but Sokol seems determined to provide a quality app, by evidence of the fact that he requests direct emails if customers have feedback to give or problems to address. The only quandary that sticks out among GoMusic is the question of how big a consumer base there is for this app. Google Play isn’t the primary music provider for i-devices, so how many iPhone or iPad users might there be with an extra Google Music account with which to extract and access music? The two stores have their differences in interface and perhaps in the occasional pricing but those factors are irrelevant to the part where customers already have music to listen to and simply want another branch of compatible access.
GoMusic is available for $0.99 in the iTunes Store.
Kira is an old school music nerd with a love for all things creative; always searching for music’s common ground. She graduated with an M.A. in Performing Arts Administration from New York University. Drop her a tweet @shadowmelody1
Comments are closed.