Think about having your very personal DJ in your pocket, prepared to combine your favourite songs at a second’s discover. No, not your dad’s 3-5 second crossfade, however as an alternative a totally custom-made combine that makes the 2 songs you’re transitioning between meld collectively like they have been designed that method by the artists themselves. That’s the concept behind Apple Music’s upcoming AI-powered AutoMix characteristic, which is coming with this fall’s iOS 26 launch.

As a former Spotify person and now years-long YouTube Music person, that is the primary time I’ve even batted a watch at one among Apple’s few Android apps. I’m probably not a giant fan of the old-school cross-fade performance, however that is completely different. Google is constantly including Gemini-powered options throughout all of its verticals — together with in the primary YouTube app — however to this point, we haven’t seen a lot of this AI prowess in YouTube Music. AutoMix is a seemingly small Apple Music characteristic with massive implications, and I have some concepts on how Google can carry its super-powered Gemini expertise into its music app.

DJ Apple, spin that monitor!

Apple first introduced AutoMix again in June at this yr’s WWDC, its annual developer’s convention. In its own words, this characteristic makes use of “time stretching and beat matching to ship steady playback and an much more seamless listening expertise.” Advertising and marketing jargon apart, there’s a clear distinction that you may hear with AutoMix enabled when put next to the usual cross-fade. Particulars on how the characteristic works are sparse, however shortly after the iOS 26 developer beta was launched, movies of AutoMix in motion shortly started circulating on all the most important social media platforms. For me not less than, I was intrigued the second I heard it in motion.

As a result of AutoMix isn’t a database of pre-mixed songs and is as an alternative powered by AI, the blending expertise can fluctuate from person to person. Often, the mixes are fairly underwhelming — keep in mind, that is nonetheless only a beta software program — however most of the time, it doesn’t simply work, it sounds magical. It provides a wholly new dimension to your music listening expertise. I would be aware right here that proper now, AutoMix appears to work greatest when the 2 songs are from an analogous style or have an analogous variety of beats per minute. That stated, I’d think about it will solely enhance in the longer term.

AutoMix isn’t a wholly new idea. Actually, Spotify launched their very own tackle this characteristic years in the past beneath the very same title. It, too, seems to use beat matching to decide the easiest way to transition between songs, however from examples I’ve seen and person commentary I’ve learn, Apple’s take seems to be a extra superior model. Maybe developments in AI additionally permit for an general higher mixing expertise.

YouTube Music wants to be a part of the occasion

I’ve been a YouTube Music convert for years now, and all in all, I’ve been very proud of the service. Initially, it’s included with YouTube Premium, which is one purpose I consider Google’s subscription is likely one of the most high-value subscriptions on the market. And to Google’s credit score, YouTube Music has continuously improved its service, including new options and making the person interface extra interesting and user-friendly.

Google has added Gemini-powered capabilities to nearly each nook of its software program universe. From YouTube to Google Workspace to Android units and most all the things between, you’ll doubtless discover some kind of Gemini-enabled characteristic. And it’s not like we haven’t seen Google dabble in the world of music, both.

Google wants to be a part of the non-public DJ occasion, and that is just the start of what they may do with the facility of Gemini. AutoMix truthfully looks as if a small addition as I write about it, however I can’t emphasize sufficient how completely different it feels to pay attention to music with this mixing enabled. It makes for such a satisfying listening expertise, and I am greater than assured in some type of Gemini powering Google’s model of this.

Let’s take this somewhat additional than this comparatively small AutoMix characteristic. How else might Gemini improve my music streaming expertise? Look no additional than Spotify DJ, a characteristic that’s already been round for a number of years in Spotify land. Basically, Spotify is utilizing AI to generate playlists in accordance to what you already pay attention to, and it has helped my colleague uncover much more new music than he used to. Think about Google’s tackle this: a Gemini Stay-like DJ that you may speak backwards and forwards with and actually fine-tune your style to discover probably the most related music attainable.

Right here’s the factor: Google is already doing many of the heavy lifting that this sort of characteristic would require. It already has a characteristic in the Google Uncover feed referred to as Day by day Hear, the place two AI-powered “podcast hosts” serve up a every day short-form podcast with information and knowledge related to your pursuits. And it really works extremely properly. Creepy properly, should you ask me. And Google already generates playlists primarily based on textual content enter. Gemini might simply join these dots collectively extra effectively.

Since it is a Gemini Stay-like expertise, why not simply hum one thing into your mic and have DJ Gemini generate a playlist of songs solely primarily based on the vibes of no matter you’re buzzing. That sounds each unbelievable and extremely doable with the facility of Gemini. I really feel like we’re solely scratching the floor right here, and but, as I already said, a lot of that is already being finished by Google elsewhere in its companies. Now, the YouTube Music workforce simply wants to package deal this all up for its platform.

Is Apple’s DJ adequate to make me ditch YouTube Music?

Switching music companies isn’t precisely enjoyable. The app’s algorithms take time to study your preferences, and YouTube Music has years of my listening knowledge now, so it has gotten fairly good at suggesting the best music (and podcasts…sure, I use this app for podcasts, too) on the proper time.

Is Apple’s AutoMix characteristic sufficient to persuade me to swap? Solely time will inform, particularly as a result of we don’t but have readability on whether or not or not it will be an iPhone-only characteristic, or if it should ultimately make its method over to our inexperienced bubble world. Because it’s an AI-powered characteristic, Apple might resolve AutoMix can solely work on Apple units and Apple’s chips; I’m not saying it’s not attainable for them to carry it to Android, I simply ponder whether Apple will use on-device AI as a purpose to hold AutoMix unique to its units. That stated, I examined the characteristic out on an iPhone 14 Professional, which doesn’t have entry to Apple Intelligence, so I would guess that they’ll carry it to their Android app sooner or later, and perhaps whilst quickly as this fall when AutoMix formally launches.

For now, I’m sticking with YouTube Music. I’m actually assured in Gemini at this level, and it’s solely getting higher. Bringing extra AI into YouTube Music is the logical subsequent step for the evolution of the platform. I keep in mind when Google first launched Gemini — keep in mind Bard? — I was actually uncertain what to make of Google’s AI. The transition from Google Assistant was actually rocky at first, too. However Gemini has gotten actually good, and extra importantly, the best way it has been built-in into Google’s companies has change into extraordinarily highly effective. I use it quite a bit all through my day. I assume it’s solely a matter of time earlier than we see an AutoMix-like characteristic launched in YouTube Music, almost certainly alongside different extra superior Gemini-based options.