After digging deeper into the code for iOS 16.3 release candidate, foreign user @iSWUpdates suggests that Apple is still working on a standalone classical music app. The release candidate is the last stage of development before the official release, and there will be no more major tweaks to the features or interface, so Apple is expected to release iOS 16.3 to the public next week.
According to information unearthed by @iSWUpdates, Apple has quietly adjusted the existing Apple Music app description on the iPhone: “A Shortcut to Apple Classical” has been changed to “Open in Apple Music Classical”. From the description, Apple has changed the name of the app to “Apple Music Classical,” but it’s not sure what the specific name will be after the launch.
Apple mentioned “Explore this artist in the App designed for classical music” in another line of code.
In August 2021, Apple announced that it was acquiring the classical music service Primephonic and planned to release a dedicated classical music app in 2022, but that app did not launch in 2022.
“Apple Music plans to launch a dedicated classical music app next year that incorporates Primephonic’s classical user interface with additional add-ons that fans will love,” Apple said in a 2021 press release.
The Primephonic classical music service closed in September 2021, when subscribers received six months of Apple Music usage for free. If a new app is eventually launched, the Apple Classical Music app will serve as a replacement for Primephonic, offering users a classical music experience with Beethoven and Mozart, among others.
