Apple expected to retire iTunes at WWDC next week

[Shawn Knight]

Recap: iTunes was introduced by Steve Jobs on January 9, 2001. The software was instrumental to the success of the iPod and individual song sales but it wasn’t without its faults. Detractors over the years criticized the software for being overly bloated, a stigma that never washed away with subsequent releases.

Apple at its annual developers conference next week is expected to retire iTunes, replacing it with a trio of standalone apps for the Mac.

Mark Gurman from Bloomberg notes that Apple is preparing standalone Music, TV and Podcasts apps – presumably for inclusion in macOS 10.15 – to collectively replace iTunes. The intelligence lines up with earlier predictions from 9to5Mac who claimed iTunes would be renamed to Music and focus exclusively on that category.

In the absence of iTunes, users will be able to manage their Apple gadgets through the Music app.

Potential changes to iTunes for Windows weren’t mentioned.

Apple earlier this week introduced a refreshed version of its iPod touch, adding a faster processor and larger capacity options to its long-running media player. It’s a bit unusual for hardware to outlast software but it appears as though that will be the case here.

WWDC 2019 kicks off on June 3 at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose and runs through June 7.

Image credit: iTunes gift cards by Cineberg

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https://www.techspot.com/news/80320-apple-expected-retire-itunes-wwdc-next-week.html

 

[VitalyT]

Another disdain software swap by Apple. You want recognition - you dump this crap altogether, and allow direct file copy, like Android does. Otherwise, #U Apple!

 

[Aly by the Sea]

What will happen to the other apps like Uber, LYFT, and others?
Plus what about the other apps we've purchased?
I like iTunes.

 

[Squid Surprise]

What will happen to the other apps like Uber, LYFT, and others?
Plus what about the other apps we've purchased?
I like iTunes.

iTunes is just the software to synch the apps/music/video to your iPod (or iPhone / iPad)... there are plenty of better alternatives... but Apple will replace iTunes with 3 separate apps so you can still synch using their software if you feel you must.

 

[antiproduct]

I wish they would just make a phone manage app (for Windows too), iTunes is such a crappy application.

 

[PEnnn]

Itunes version 1.0 was not bad and got the job done. Anything after that is a hideous, absolute garbage.

I haven't used Itunes in over 6 years. Good riddance.

 

[netman]

Apple needs to re-write codes for all their core apps from scratch....enough of antiquity!

 

[Raytrace3D]

Thank God. This is the worst piece of crap software ever made. Horrible interaction and UI experience, unintuitive and unreliable. Just like Apple's other great product (which they've since cancelled)... Safari for Window. Just make the iOS device a drive letter you can copy files too like everyone else. Why do you always have to be "different" (the kid who drools and talks to himself), Apple?

 

[Jtd49]

I'm guessing from reading this that maybe everything is going to be the same across all of apple's devices in the future? I wonder what that will mean for Windows users? I always liked iTunes. I never had any problems with it except on Windows and since getting it make all my purchases on my iPad for that reason.

Now if they would just give us baseline 1TB of storage cheap on all devices. I would be all in on Apple lol.

 

[Cubi Dorf]

Sync is confuse. That is only part of iTunes that is problem of me. iCloud also confuse. Email myself file is safest way to transfer file. So sad. This is one thing google does better. That and allow real firefox.