Digital DJing platform Serato has arrived on mobile for the first time with the launch of Serato DJ for iOS, a new app for both iPhone and iPad.
iOS DJ apps are hardly a new phenomenon. The likes of Algoriddim djay, Alpha-Theta’s Rekordbox and Cross DJ already let users mix tracks with their mobile devices, as did Native Instruments' now defunct Traktor DJ app. As one of the most widely used DJing platforms on the market, Serato’s jump from desktop to mobile is a significant move though.
Serato did actually launch an app, Pyro, a decade ago, although it focused on automated mixing and was more of a spin-off than a proper mobile version. With this latest release, Serato is bringing its flagship software to mobile devices.
Whereas some DJ apps offer a cut down version of their desktop counterpart, Serato DJ for iOS brings the full Serato feature set to mobile devices. This means that app users will experience the same look and workflow as desktop users, with access to features including stems, effects, recording and pad modes.
Serato DJ for iOS can also be used with a wide variety of hardware controllers, players and mixers, with a cross-brand list of more than 120 compatible devices at launch, including existing gear from AlphaTheta, Hercules, Numark, Pioneer DJ, Rane, Roland, and others. The app can be used with DVS setups for digital vinyl control too.
Serato DJ for iOS launches alongside the release of Serato DJ 5.0 on desktop, which has been in Beta for the past few months, and includes the same new Lucid Beatgrids, designed to adapt to tracks with shifting BPM timing.
The iOS version also allows for supposedly seamless transfer of libraries between the desktop and mobile versions, allowing users to organise and access their existing Crates on the go. Serato DJ for iOS can also make use of a variety of streaming services, including compatibility with Apple Music, Spotify, TIDAL, SoundCloud and Beatport.
To mark the launch, Serato has published a new series of artist interviews and endorsements, under the banner of ‘DJ Everywhere’. The series, found on the company’s YouTube channel, features contributions from A-Trak, DJ Miss Milan, Nick Cheo, and Magie Hue.
“Inspiration is everywhere for me,” says Grammy-winning DJ & Producer Miss Milan. “When a mix hits me out of nowhere, now I can just pull out the app and hear if it actually works.”
The app launches with both free and paid-for versions, the latter unlocking features including four-deck mixing, DVS compatibility, pad modes, Stem FX and an increase in the number of available effects from 20 slots to 59. The paid version also offers configurable layouts, allowing users to control the app via Vertical, Horizontal, and Extended views.
Users with an active DJ Suite subscription or license get access to the full version of Serato DJ for iOS at no extra cost.
Head to the Serato site for more information or find it on the App Store.
