At the end of July, the editorial team at iPhones.ru noticed a peculiar change regarding Russian Apple ID accounts that impacted the functionality of Apple Music.
Some users in the Russian Federation found that the “Overview” tab had vanished. This tab was one of the five standard tabs available since the initial launch of Apple Music globally. As of August 5 (today), this tab has disappeared for most users of the service in Russia.
The “Overview” tab used to showcase announcements for new album releases, editorial playlists, and top charts, including the Top 100 popular tracks in Russia.
This marks the first change in the operation of Apple Music in Russia in the past two years and is one of the few instances since May 2022 when Apple has intentionally restricted the functionality of any previously available service in the Russian Federation.
How We Discovered the Limited Functionality of Apple Music in Russia
I first noticed the changes when iOS 18 Beta 4 was released on July 24, 2024.
Initially, our editorial team linked the disappearance of the tab to the new beta version of iOS 18. However, it soon became apparent that beta testers in other countries had not reported any changes to Apple Music. This alteration affected only Russian Apple IDs.
Since the end of last week, the tab began to disappear not only for iOS 18 users but also for those on other versions of the operating system with a Russian Apple ID. We conducted a private survey among our readers and found evidence that as of Monday, August 5, the tab was no longer accessible to Russians using iOS 17.1, iOS 17.4.1, and several other versions of the OS.
Some Russians still have access to the tab, but its disappearance appears to be only a matter of time.
In simple terms, the “Browse” tab has completely disappeared from Apple Music for Russian Apple IDs, resulting in the loss of quick access to nearly all the content previously available there.
What Was in the “Browse” Section of Apple Music and What Will No Longer Be Accessible to Russians
Primarily, the Overview tab contained new album release announcements. At the top, track selections appeared in connection with eagerly awaited and noteworthy releases from specific artists.
Due to many major labels limiting or ceasing their operations in Russia, and some foreign artists refusing to distribute their tracks on Russian streaming services, the “Overview” tab for Apple Music users in Russia has long been significantly less rich than for users in other countries.
The “Overview” tab also featured editorial playlists that were curated manually by the Apple Music team. Since spring 2022, the content of these playlists, as well as the selections in the Russian version of Apple Music, have been updated much less frequently, often lagging behind the offerings in other regional versions of Apple Music.
Over the past two years, editorial playlists have become increasingly unhelpful for Russian Apple Music users: many tracks became “gray” due to playability restrictions in the Russian Federation, making them impossible to listen to. Users would receive a message indicating that the track was unavailable in their region when attempting to access them.
Finally, the “Overview” tab included top charts of popular tracks in Russia. Consequently, this tab served as the primary showcase for releases and events on Apple Music, which is now unavailable for Russian users.
What Happened to the Apple Music Content in Russia That Was Previously Found in the “Overview” Tab
The top chart can still be found manually; it is accessible in Apple Music search as a playlist titled “Top 100 Russia.”
Many of the previously available playlists in the “Overview” section can also likely be found if users remember their titles or experiment with search queries in the service.
However, the release of new editorial playlists in Apple Music for Russians remains uncertain. At the very least, finding them will now be considerably more challenging without a proper showcase. They may not be released for the region at all.
In our opinion, Apple took this step to diminish the appearance of continued support for the service’s functionality in Russia. Unlike the App Store, where Russian-language content and selections on the main page have not been updated for at least a year and a half (with only old “cards” remaining), editorial content in Apple Music for Russia continued to be refreshed until at least early summer 2024.
It is difficult to predict the implications of this change for the future. If Apple intended to completely shut down the service in the Russian Federation soon, they would likely close a specific tab rather than modify the application interface for that purpose. However, this may be part of a gradual reduction of Apple Music’s availability in the country.
How to Pay for Apple Subscriptions and Top Up Your App Store Account in 2024. All Working Methods
P.S. At the time of publication, the Browse tab is still accessible to Russians in the Apple Music apps for computers and Android.
iPhones.ru
At the end of July, the iPhones.ru editorial team noticed a strange change in Russian Apple ID accounts. It affected how Apple Music works. Some users of the service in the Russian Federation suddenly lost the “Overview” tab – one of the five standard tabs that existed from the first days of Apple Music’s launch in the world. By August 5 (today), this tab had disappeared for the vast majority…
Nikita Goryainov
@ngoryainov
Editor-in-chief of iPhones.ru. Thank you for reading us. Do you have a question, suggestion or something interesting? Write to [email protected].
- To ←
Yandex TV Stations now has a like system for movies, like in music. It selects movies personally for the user
- After →
Watched the new movie “The Trap” with Josh Hartnett from Shyamalan. We didn’t understand something
Apple Music Changes in Russia: The Disappearance of the “Overview” Tab
At the end of July, the iPhones.ru editorial team noticed a significant change affecting Russian Apple ID accounts, specifically altering how Apple Music operates. Users across the Russian Federation observed that the “Overview” tab—a staple feature since the service’s global launch—was mysteriously removed. As of August 5, this change has become apparent to the majority of users, marking a notable shift in how Apple Music functions in Russia.
Understanding the Impact of the Removed “Overview” Tab
The removal of the “Overview” tab has profound implications for how users in Russia interact with Apple Music. Previously, this tab served as a hub for new album releases, editorial playlists, and top charts, including the Top 100 popular tracks in Russia. Its absence raises questions about content accessibility and the overall user experience for Russian Apple Music subscribers.
How We Discovered Apple Music’s Limited Functionality in Russia
I first noticed the changes coinciding with the release of iOS 18 Beta 4 on July 24, 2024. Initially, we speculated that the disappearance of the tab was linked to the beta release. However, it quickly became clear that this issue exclusively affected users with Russian Apple IDs, as beta testers in other countries reported no such changes.
By the end of July, the “Overview” tab was vanishing not just for iOS 18 users but for those still using earlier versions of the operating system. A private poll conducted among our readers confirmed that as of August 5, users on multiple versions—including iOS 17.1 and 17.4.1—had lost access to the tab.
While a handful of users still retain the tab, its eventual disappearance seems inevitable, leaving Russian Apple Music users with a significantly altered interface.
What Was Inside the “Overview” Section of Apple Music?
The “Overview” tab was an essential part of the Apple Music experience, containing key features that kept users engaged:
- New Album Releases: This section highlighted the latest albums, featuring curated selections tied to anticipated releases from various artists.
- Editorial Playlists: Compiled by the Apple Music team, these playlists showcased handpicked tracks and themes. Since early 2022, their updates became less frequent for Russian users, reflecting the challenges of sourcing music amidst a changing landscape.
- Top Charts: The “Overview” tab featured the popular tracks in Russia, acting as a gauge for trending music and offering insight into listener preferences.
With these features now dismantled for users in Russia, the means to discover new music has considerably diminished, creating barriers to finding both new and relevant content.
The Current State of Apple Music Content in Russia
While the “Overview” tab is missing, some content is still accessible through alternative means:
- The Top 100 chart can still be found manually via search as a playlist titled “Top 100 Russia.”
- Previously posted playlists from the “Overview” may still be discoverable through search queries, although finding them without a dedicated tab is cumbersome.
However, the future of editorial playlists in Russia remains uncertain. The removal of the “Overview” tab has cast doubt on whether new playlists will be released for Russian users, essentially making the discovery of fresh content more challenging than ever.
Why Did Apple Make This Change?
Industry observers speculate that this move may be part of Apple’s strategy to minimize the appearance of continued support for Apple Music in Russia. Since early 2022, users have noticed significant declines in the quality and timeliness of content offered through the service, mirroring broader trends of diminished engagement in the Russian market.
The App Store has not seen updates for Russian-language content for over a year, indicating a potential long-term strategy of limiting services in the region. By phasing out the “Overview” tab, Apple appears to be paving the way for a more structured retreat from the Russian music market.
Possible Future Scenarios for Apple Music in Russia
Several scenarios could unfold for Apple Music in Russia:
- Continued Downgrade of Services: If editorial playlists and content updates continue to lag, users may find that Apple Music becomes less relevant over time.
- Complete Service Closure: Should Apple decide that maintaining any service level in Russia is untenable, a gradual phase-out process could be on the horizon.
- User Migration: Ultimately, if competitors provide better access to music content, we could see Russian users migrating to alternative streaming platforms.
The current trajectory appears to favor a gradual winding down of Apple Music’s operations in the Russian market, with potential losses in user engagement and satisfaction immensely affecting its viability.
Conclusion
At the time of publication, the “Overview” tab remains available for use in Apple Music apps for computers and Android counterparts, but this may also change in the future. The current challenges and limitations users face serve as a reminder of the rapidly evolving digital landscape in which platforms like Apple Music must operate. For now, Russian users will need to adapt to these changes and seek new ways to experience music through Apple Music.
