Google has announced this evening what it is calling the ‘new Google Play Music’. So what’s new? Firstly from the limited screenshots we’ve seen with the announcement at least part of the app has been redesign with a bold mix of Material Design and hero images on a new homepage, and of course, what updated Google service would be complete without some Machine Learning thrown in.
The new service is apparently ‘smarter, easier to use, and much more assistive’, all thanks to Google’s blend of Machine Learning and ‘hand picked’ (we’re assuming these are human hands) music. The service seems to be an extension of the existing “play music for” section of Google Play Music all access, offering an enhanced curation experience from the original.
The Machine Learning will learn what music you like and then mix that in with other ‘signals’ including location, activity, and the weather. This ‘machine profile’ will then apparent be matched against the curated playlists to give you an enhanced auto-curated playlist.
The new service will commence rolling out this week to Android, iOS and web users ‘globally’ (62 different countries, the other countries must be on the flat bit of the earth!). For those who are worried about Google marrying user data, Machine Learning and their music preferences, the new service seems to be ‘opt-in’ so if you don’t want some robot choosing your tunes you don’t have too.
Google are also introducing what looks to be an auto caching offline playlist based on your recent listening habits. It looks like this will be an ever-changing dynamic list of music that will continually change to ensure that even when you’re offline your music will still be there ready to go.
We don’t know what’s more exciting, the prospect of an improved Google Play Music experience of the fact that it didn’t leak beforehand and we get to enjoy the news. We’ll obviously be trying to get out hands on the new music app and run it through its paces.
Let us know if you like the sound of Googles part man part Machine (learning) music curation service.