Exploring New Search Capabilities in Apple Music and Apple TV
Recent updates, specifically iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, tvOS 18.12, and macOS Sequoia 15.2, introduce an exciting feature allowing users to conduct searches using “natural language” in both Apple Music and Apple TV. This enhancement enables users to articulate queries across various dimensions such as genres, moods, actors, and decades, among other categories, providing a more versatile search experience, as noted by Apple.
While this concept is appealing, one might wonder how effectively it works in practice. The impact on daily use may not be revolutionary, but it nevertheless offers a decent overall experience. It’s worth mentioning that the suggested results that appear during typing don’t leverage this feature; you’ll need to press the Search button to activate it.
As a practical example, when searching for “an unsettling office drama,” the expectation was to receive recommendations for Apple’s acclaimed series Severance. The outcome was somewhat fitting, presenting a British drama that doesn’t take place in an office followed by Severance. Additionally, The Morning Show was included, which loosely aligns with the request.
In a more humorous instance, entering “sitcoms like The Office” returned the original British version of that very series—quite fitting. Following that was Friends, which diverges significantly in style yet remains binge-worthy, and Parks and Recreation, which, while differing in tone, shares similarities in its mockumentary format. Among the results was also The Big Bang Theory, which raises eyebrows, alongside Mythic Quest, a series that arguably deserves more recognition.
The outcomes for more abstract searches seem to be a mixed bag; while it occasionally yields relevant results, the suggestions can sometimes lack discernible taste. However, it tends to perform more accurately when searching for films by a specific director or television series starring a particular actor.
Similarly, this feature is functional in Apple Music. A search for artists “similar to Billie Eilish” led to Olivia Rodrigo as the top recommendation, which may provoke some skepticism, but notable mention of Eilish’s brother and collaborator, FINEAS, was also included, which is quite reasonable.
A search for “Indie Christmas Albums” highlighted Sufjan Stevens’ celebrated work, Songs For Christmas, a logical suggestion, along with Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas, which feels like an odd fit. Much like the television search results, the music recommendations can vary in relevance, making for an intriguing exploration. This new feature is certainly worth experimenting with if you have a subscription to Apple Music or Apple TV.
