The original iPhone was positioned as a 3-in-1 device, one of those three things being ‘a widescreen iPod with touch controls’. Coupled with its internet capabilities, Apple’s smartphone transformed how we consume music. Today, the iPhone continues to be a go-to device for music lovers.
The entire iPhone 15 line has surprisingly impressive built-in speakers. Launch Apple Music, play a song, switch to landscape (for stereo playback), and you’ll hear audio quality that rivals some dedicated Bluetooth speakers. But this is just the beginning. This toolkit digs deeper, exploring how to elevate your iPhone audio experience with the best tips, apps and accessories.
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Longplay and Albums widgets in StandBy.
Use specialist apps: Don’t limit yourself to Apple Music. Many apps have unique features that improve how you consume music – yet they also integrate your Apple Music library, making it easy to switch between them whenever you need to.
Feed streaming algorithms: Streaming services are keen to help you discover new music – but you need to help them. In Apple Music, for example, tap-hold a track (or use ‘…’ in the playback screen) and choose ‘Favorite’ or ‘Suggest Less’ to guide the algorithm.
Explore widgets: Many music apps have Home Screen and StandBy widgets, which make it easier for you to view recent tracks – and start playing them. If you’re old-school and into albums, widgets from Longplay and Albums are a must.
Save music offline: Streaming is great, but that won’t help you get your music fix when you don’t have an internet connection. So download favorites to your iPhone. Also be mindful that radio apps often let you download shows for offline playback.
Look after your ears: Blasting loud music into your ears isn’t great for long-term hearing health. Your iPhone will warn if you exceed recommended limits often, and you can manually turn on ‘Reduce Loud Audio’ in Settings > Sound & Haptics > Headphones Safety.
Download these apps
Cs Music Pro’s albums view.
Cs Music ($2.99/£2.99): Dispense with clutter and recommendations, by having Cs focus purely on your music collection – drawn from local files or, optionally, your Apple Music library.
Longplay ($5.99/£5.99): Rediscover the joy of albums via a cover art grid you reorder by criteria like ‘stars’ and ‘negligence’. Includes impressive widgets that are essentially the entire app in miniature.
Albums: Music Shortcuts (free): Collect your most treasured albums and then use this app’s widgets to put them (or a randomized selection) right on your Home Screen or in StandBy.
MusicHarbor (free + IAP): Track your favorite artists and record labels, so you never miss a new release – and preview songs before playing them in full using Apple Music.
MusicBox ($2.99/£2.99): Stash and tag music you find on streaming services or elsewhere online (eg Bandcamp) for later, to audition it before adding it to your personal library.
Recs.ai (free + IAP): Discover new music by swiping your way through song snippets, on a stream based on custom filters – although do note that you need a subscription to use most features.
Doppler (free + $9/£9): Go beyond streaming by loading FLAC and MP3 files you’ve bought online, and play them right on your iPhone, alongside any tracks you’ve downloaded from Apple Music.
myTuner Radio (free + IAP): Explore live radio and – where supported – preview previous tracks that the current station has played. If station access is stymied by geographic restrictions, Simple Radio (free + IAP) is a solid backup option.
Connect this hardware
Apple’s latest AirPods Pro.
AirPods Pro ($249/£229): We recommend AirPods Pro often, but that’s because they are excellent wireless in-ear headphones, with a range of settings that help you tailor noise control to your local environment.
Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399.99/£379.99): Should you prefer a pair of cans, Sony’s are our pick. They offer superb audio quality, for a reasonable outlay – and you can plug in a cable if you want to go properly old-school.
USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter ($9/£9): Speaking of cables, iPhones long ago removed a headphone port. So if you do have treasured wired headphones to plug in, you’ll need this dongle (or the Lightning equivalent for an old iPhone).
HomePod mini ($99/£99): Need a speaker? HomePod mini offers a great balance of value, sound quality, and integration with Apple devices. You can also combine multiple HomePod minis for stereo or house-filling multi-room audio.
JBL Flip 6 ($129.95/£129.99): When you fancy playing sounds loud and are away from home, this JBL number is a great buy. It has plenty of power and 12-hour playback, and it’s rugged, waterproof and rustproof.
Retro cassette tape case ($25.51/£19.06): Children of the 1980s (or hipsters) rejoice! With this case, you can pretend your iPhone is a cassette tape. Zazzle offers similar – with some options that add custom text.
Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station ($109.99/£99.99): This MagSafe stand will keep your iPhone safe on a desk or bedside table. If it’s plugged in and your iPhone’s in landscape, use it for music playback in StandBy.