The latest iOS developer beta fixes a bug causing the Apple Music app to bump other apps from the dock.
The bug appeared last month, acknowledged by Apple as unintentional, with the company stating it would look into the issue. Affected devices included those running iOS 15.4.1 and the iOS 15.5 beta.
Developer Kevin Archer first pointed out the bug in a tweet stating that any third-party app was bumped from the dock if the user had uninstalled and then reinstalled Apple Music. Although this gives the impression that Apple is purposely ousting its competitors for its native music app, the issue is related to Apple Music sitting in the fourth slot in the dock by default and reinstalling itself to this location if previously removed.
Apple appears to have fixed the bug in 15.6 Beta 2, as spotted by iOS beta buff Aaron Zollo, suggesting the issue will be resolved for all users when the release goes live.
Users suspected the bug was deliberate, as it only occurs with Apple Music. However, it happens to any third-party app and not just music apps, illustrating that it’s a bug rather than an intended feature.
Following allegations leading to an official investigation, Apple has been defensive about whether it leverages its presence to keep competitors in a chokehold. CEO Tim Cook testified before the US House Antitrust Subcommittee in 2020, denying that his company participated in such strategies.
“We want to get every app we can on the store, not keep them off,” Cook said.
Regardless, there will always be those who question Apple’s intentions, leading to many discussions in mobile fan spaces. In his interview with The Financial Times, Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, recently called the App Store a “disservice” to developers.
MacRumors forum user StudioMacs says, “People who don’t understand how things work (such as the iPhone loading default stock apps in default stock locations) are usually the first to invent conspiracies about how things work (such as Apple maliciously replacing third party music apps with Apple Music).”
“It also replaces your music library with the U2 discography,” quips another user.