Apple Music Classical goes black-and-white in Apple's visual overhaul

Apple has replaced the red identity of Apple Music Classical with a black-and-white icon, extending the monochrome redesign it recently applied to its main Apple Music app. The update marks the second stop in what observers describe as a quiet visual overhaul of Apple's music apps.

The new icon keeps the treble clef that has defined Apple Music Classical since launch. It swaps the old colour scheme for a black symbol on a white background. One difference stands out. Where the redesigned Apple Music icon went flat, the Classical version retains a three-dimensional look, with soft lighting, shading and transparency that give the clef depth.

What changes inside the app?

The redesign goes beyond the home screen. Inside the app, the red accents that previously marked buttons and controls now appear in a blue tone close to the default accent colour Apple uses across its other built-in apps.

That shift carries meaning for the app's positioning. Apple Music Classical previously borrowed Apple Music's signature red to signal the family connection between the two services. With the blue accent, Classical now reads more like a standard Apple app than a spin-off of the main service, according to the report detailing the update.

Why does the timing matter?

The timing is the more interesting part of the story. Only a few weeks ago, Apple launched a far more colourful branding campaign for Apple Music, built around visuals created by using sound waves to move water.

Many observers expected those vivid designs to eventually reach the app icon itself. Some treated the monochrome version as a stopgap. Extending the black-and-white treatment to Apple Music Classical makes that outcome look less likely. Apple appears to be reserving bold colours for marketing while settling on a restrained look for the apps themselves.

Not everyone will welcome the change, the report notes. The red Apple Music icon was one of the most recognisable on an iPhone home screen. A white tile risks blending in among other apps rather than standing out.

What is Apple Music Classical?

Apple Music Classical first arrived in 2023. It builds on Apple's 2021 acquisition of the classical streaming service Primephonic, a deal that gave Apple specialised metadata and search tools for classical repertoire.

The app still is not sold separately. It requires an Apple Music subscription, priced at $11.99 a month with a one-month free trial, or access through the Apple One bundle.

Will other Apple services follow?

With both music apps now sharing the same monochrome direction, the open question is whether other Apple services will adopt the treatment next. The inconsistency between the flat Apple Music icon and the three-dimensional Classical version suggests the two apps are not being treated as identical twins, and Apple has not explained the reasoning behind that difference.