Music Services: add Apple Music?
Answered
Hi,
Just thought, let's drop the question again.
Does Bluesound expect (short term) to add Apple Music as a "Music Service" in the Node 2i?
NOT via Airplay2, but as a Music Service in the Node 2i.
Thanks!
Danny
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Richard Thomas and others, this comment thread got really interesting. I think this comment is the one that the Bluesound support crew want to point out but can't 👉 https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360037270313/comments/1500000966562
Sonos an Spotify seem to have Apple locked down in some contract that gives them premium access. This would explain why Sonos can offer Apple Music as a service and why you can control your wifi speakers globally and from homescreen in iOS with the Spotify app, but not with TidalMaybe it's a nice little conspiracy theory, but it's the best reason I've read here why Sonos and Spotify can get more access to Apple's API's than other hardware and software companies.
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Sebastiaan - I have been following this discussion and feel for the posters. I am currently considering getting the Topping D70. My advice to Bluesound is that you include a USB input to your product. If the Node2i had this, I would be sorted, not ideal but better than nothing, hence now I am looking at Topping. Second - I will advise you consider a way to connect the phone to your products similar to Dts Play-fi (for Windows). Play-fi connects the laptop to my AVR, then anything I play on the laptop goes to AVR - no APIs. I say this because everyone, every forum has this very question -except the culprits - Apple. You go to Roon forum, Audirvana forum, Yamaha, Denon, Pioneer every hardware manufacturer - members are asking "Where is Apple Music in your product". So Apple is not resisting pressure just from Bluesound - The whole industry is asking for this and they are not budging. I think this will take a class action to argue uncompetitive behaviour - short of that - nothing will work. What Apple will do instead, they will figure out why people prefer Bluesound and they will just build a competing product and sell that to you.
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Richard - I have a Node 2i - I know what I am talking about - the folks here from Bluesound know what I am talking about.
Homepod does not support hi-res audio. But, I am sure Apple will start making one that does soon so they can rather sell that to you instead of you buying Bluesound. And they will make sure to do that while other manufactures are still unable to access their hi-res service. If that doesn't look like uncompetitive behaviour - then I am indeed daft.
Last, this is not necessarily about other companies doing better than others. It is more about one company being lucky to sign a deal so early in the streaming days, then the market shifting and no longer allowing those deals anymore. You cannot blame other people for Apple's refusal to let them in their platform.
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Chief - I assumed you will read my statement in context.
1. Homepods will (with future firmware) support lossless - not hi-res like the Bluesound products. For Hi-res - Apple will have to offer new product - a firmware will not do.
2. USB in the Node 2i is for storage media only. We are discussing streaming Apple Music. The current Node 2i USB cannot connect to a phone or a laptop, it can only connect to a storage device (hard drive, which I have connected to mine by the way). The Topping on the other hand, can connect to your phone via USB and play your Apple hi-res all the way to 192Khz sampling rates. Off course if you have an iPhone this will not work either because the iPhone will not allow you to send any signal above 48Khz to the external DAC via the lightning connector. But a Macbook will get you there, a Windows laptop will get you there.
3. Apple TV and Sonos are all limited to 48Khz and that is what they call hi-res. It is much better than current, but if the file you are playing is 192Khz, then it gets converted to a lower sample rate. Some of us would prefer the system to play exactly what has been fed to it, no down-conversions. The Bluesound Node 2i does not need to down-convert 192Khz, but the absence of the USB interface leaves no method to interface it with Apple Music.
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Sorry I need to be specific - The Bluesound Node 2i can interact via Airplay and deliver lossless music already. But for hi-res music, with the absence of an API, the USB interface is the only way and that is currently missing. When I say the USB missing I don't mean there is no USB port. I mean the USB port that is there is not designed to do what we are discussing.
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Not hardware dependent?
The 2i had the Cortex A9 (32bit architecture) and was replaced with A53 (64bit architecture) - this is already a veteran model, initially introduced in 2012. Probably the A9 isn't available anymore, so the change and Bluesound pushed a "new mode" with a fancy (and buggy) touch display and old 32bit firmware to resurrect the sales.
Many serious companies launches "end of the line" firmware for deprecated models an continue to further develop the firmware for the current production models.
Whats is doing Bluesound is much, much cheaper which will have a long time effect, pissed off customers wont buy their products.
And the login here with Cross Site Tracking Prevention enabled is still not possible.
Additional incomes Bluesound?
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Dear Richard Thomas, you say "If you don't want a Bluesound device that's fine"
I say that, unfortunately I already purchased a Node 130, which is defect. I would like to have my money back or an fully functional device. Bluesound said that it is a hardware manufacturing problem and has to be replaced. I got a ticket number [Incident #6196]. Suddenly somebody started to speculate about open windows and/or foliage. No foliage in the room where the device is and the malfunction is permanent regardless of open and closed windows.
The device is for almost two weeks at the country distributor and they are waiting for Bluesound, I'm waiting too.... so do you wonder that I get carried away, mate?
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VERY nice input - totally agree; hopefully one or both of your predictions are soon to come....
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S - nice theory but I see nothing other than conjecture about what the deal between Sonos and Apple was. As Apple Music was only integrated into Sonos in 2016, your 2005 timeframe doesn't bear even the most cursory scrutiny.
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Tony, are the current Bluesound products "future proof"
Never say never but I will say we make every effort to do so. Note that the original Bluesond NODE N100 released in December of 2012 supports products at the time that had yet been invented such as;
- Spotify Connect
- Alexa Skills
- Actions on Google (Voice)
- ROON
- Over 20 other Music Services, we had yet to partner with
We have no plans at this time to stop supporting the N100.
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That might be a part of the answer but I think there is more. I am now even more convinced that it’s all about money, exclusivity, contracts and licenses. Bluesound has to come clean even when it would hurt their business.
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There are a few things being released in spring that give me hope - a new version of BluOS and also if you have Cambridge audio equipment some new network streamers. So for the naysayers I say there seems to be things happening including the new Sonos equpmiment. Will it all workout that Apple Music classical’s launch coincides with more open availability of native hi-res options, I’m hopeful. I’m sure bluesound are doing everything they can to make their players compatible with the best possible streaming services and quality.
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To reset what I have said on this thread before.
1. Apple makes a version of their Apple Music app available for Android Devices such as Samsung phones.
2. HiFI Rose, many smart TV's and Tesla are based on Android
3. Porting the Apple Android App to Tesla, smart TV's and HiFi Rose would not be that difficult.
4. BluOS is not Android
5. Apple would need to give BlueSound the same IP contract that they have given Sonos or publish standard API's for all to use.
This is clearly in Apples Hands right now and beating up BlueSound a company we all admire for their products is not going to make apple move any faster. I would suggest sending your cards and letters to key Apple social media influencers like Marcus Brownlee or Renee Ritchie.
For context in a previous job role of was a major US corporations CTO for our strategic and technical relationship with Apple and know just how difficult it is to work with them
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