Bluesound Adds Native Apple Music to BluOS as Free Update

Unlike AirPlay 2, which routes audio through a phone, tablet or computer, the native integration streams Apple Music directly to the player. TechRadar reported that this avoids the compression associated with AirPlay or Bluetooth, and that Apple Music joins Spotify and TIDAL as services fully integrated into BluOS.

BluOS powers devices from Bluesound as well as NAD Electronics, PSB Speakers, DALI, Cyrus and Monitor Audio, so the update extends beyond Bluesound's own hardware. Users install it by updating BluOS software on their device, then select Apple Music in the BluOS Controller app for a single player or a multi-room setup. In multi-room systems, Apple Music can be sent to specific rooms and audio zones or played everywhere at once.

Apple Music remains a subscription service, though the TechRadar report said subscribers do not pay extra for higher-quality or ad-free streaming. The software update itself is free.

TechRadar described the move as a significant win for Bluesound as a Sonos alternative, particularly for Apple users. It noted that Sonos had effectively held a near-monopoly on native high-resolution Apple Music playback in multi-room equipment. It also noted that WiiM, another multi-room brand that sought to gain from Sonos's 2024 software problems, does not support Apple Music natively and that many WiiM products do not support AirPlay.