iTunes 4.9 Soon?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif

Appleinsider reports that iTunes 4.9 is nearing the final stages of development and will be unveiled at the end of June or by the first week of July.

One new feature of iTunes 4.9 was demonstrated by Steve Jobs at the All Things Digital conference as well as the WWDC conference. The upcoming version will integrate PodCasting support to allow users to subscribe and download podcasts.

Appleinsider describes the new features which is expected to organize Podcasts into up to eight primary directories listed in the iTunes Music Store. Users may subscribe to Podcasts which will cause iTunes to automatically download and sync new listings.

All current Podcasts will be free, but pay "premium content" is believed to be in the works.

[law guy]

Makes me feel an oldish 30 perhaps to say it, but I'm not excited about podcasting. Seems like Apple is pushing to create a trend or activity, complete with the hardsell / power of suggestion "this is the next big thing" speech at WWDC. Perhaps its a feeling of TOO much out there already. One can watch hundreds of channels via cable or sat.; there are a multitude streaming internet radio stations in addition to good old free over the air broadcast (which is great if you live in a market like west MA with a few independents left); lots of "print" media on the web, music on CD, or itunes, DVDs... I guess I'm just trying to figure out where this fits in with a "need" - which perhaps isn't the best way to say it - given so much information, ways to get it, etc. Perhaps its an improvement to these that I just don't get yet.

[bretm]

Just more evidence that Apple is definitely a hardware company.

A hardware company that makes the best software and gadgets on the planet so people will buy their hardware.

Or maybe they're a software company that is limited to selling to only 1.6% of the computer market because their software only works on 1.6% of the computers out there.

Which decision would be better for the future of the company...

#1 spend zillions of dollars making the best software with nobody to sell it to (in hopes they'll purchase your hardware)

#2 spend zillions making the best software and make it available on the best hardware (apple) AND the other 98%

Or option #3 announce that your cool awesome hardware also now runs windows if you just have to have it, but it also runs OSX, which runs all the cool mac programs.


I think Jobs is secretely, but completely openly, marketing #3. He announced that the box would run windows, but OSX can't run on wintel boxes. Instantly increasing apple's hardware market to EVERYONE. And, everyone will want one because they can also boot into OSX and run the cool apple stuff.

Hmmmmmm

[~Shard~]

I like the idea of this whole podacsting thing - I'll definitely be checking it out!

[Object-X]

I think podcasting could kill XM satellite radio. Why pay all that money when you can just download your talk radio shows and you already have all your music. I think this could be the reason we haven't seen XM radio in an iPod.

Apple needs to come out with a car stereo.

[scu]

This is what Apple is going for
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2005/06/17.3.shtml

[rikers_mailbox]

Originally Posted by scu

This is what Apple is going for
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2005/06/17.3.shtml

Some good points are brought up in the article comments...

Apple will likely use it's position in the MP3-player market as leverage to license out iTunes to 3rd party content providers interested in subscription-based podcasts. XM and Sirius are great examples of existing companies that could take advantage of podcasts, but do not currently have the means (financially, technologically, or otherwise) to handle podcasting alone.

Podcast subscriptions are analagous to the current iTMS; Apple sells songs owned by record companies and keeps a small percentage of sales.

It would seem that integrating podcasting into iTunes is a great move for Apple. Let's hope it catches as much as it's hyped to.

[Truffy]

Is there any value to this update for those of us who don't give a rat's about podcasting?

[Keebler]

hi,

I think this is going to be a fantastic feature. I was about to dload Ipodder, but will not wait. I'm a stay-at-home parent who doesn't have the time to listen to certain news or radio shows so having it available and automatic will be awesome. Then, I can choose to listen when I can.

I disagree with those who think this will be a fad. I think it's simply reflective of how our society is going - we want what we want, when we want. simple as pie. I've already seen how PVRs and DVD box sets are changing the way people watch TV...I foresee IPods continuing to have the same effect.

go podcasting go!
Keebler

[SiliconAddict]

Most excellent. I'm going on vacation to Philadelphia to a convention for the second week of July. Getting my hands on this before then will pass the time on the plane quickly.

[danman]

.

Doh... still asleep

[Daveway]

hummmm.....MR needs to stay more up-to-date. This rumor has been out for what...3 days now.

[tocoolcjs]

Originally Posted by Daveway

hummmm.....MR needs to stay more up-to-date. This rumor has been out for what...3 days now.

How come all the sites i look at never do jack on the weekend (most often)?

[virus1]

ya. convenient how steve mentioned the new features during wwdc, but never quite said when we would get them.. that annoyed me a bunch, but glad that it is coming out now. i think the idea of podcasting is a pretty good one, but the problem is i won't know which ones to subscribe to, as there would be so many.

[w_parietti22]

Originally Posted by tocoolcjs

How come all the sites i look at never do jack on the weekend (most often)?

Becuase Bloggers need a break on the weakend just like everyone else, right?

Then we get all the coool new news on mondays. But I would like too see more news oon the weekkends. It would be nice.

[virus1]

Originally Posted by Daveway

hummmm.....MR needs to stay more up-to-date. This rumor has been out for what...3 days now.

i only check mr for my rumors.. i usually expect them to find these things on time.. tisk tisk.. mistakes happen..

[yoda13]

good news, looking forward to the available podcasts

[runninmac]

Sounds good! Ive been wanting to take a dive into the Podcasting world.

Edit: Yeah its been out since friday. I was wondering if it would make it here

[Mac Dummy]

Originally Posted by runninmac

Sounds good! Ive been wanting to take a dive into the Podcasting world.

Edit: Yeah its been out since friday. I was wondering if it would make it here

If you want try out Ipodder X or Ipodder podcasting programs, Podcasting
rocks!

[hcuar]

I'm not sure if I've bought into the Podcasting idea yet. I listen to "This week in Tech".... I don't have it set to auto download though.

[mxpiazza]

i'm pretty excited about 4.9, because it shoves us that much closer to 5. are they just trying not to release 5 or something??? or do they just want 5 to be the video store...

[dejo]

Originally Posted by mxpiazza

i'm pretty excited about 4.9, because it shoves us that much closer to 5. are they just trying not to release 5 or something??? or do they just want 5 to be the video store...

Sorry to burst your bubble, but they could always release iTunes 4.10!

[dmbfan]

Two great podcasts:

Maccast

TWiT (This Week in Tech)

[BWhaler]

I'm not sure how much I will listen to podcasts since I don't today. But I do agree with Steve and pretty much everyone else that radio sucks nowadays and clear channel is scum.

Maybe it'll be like the shuffle feature. Never used it before it popped up on the top menu on my iPod, but now it's my favorite way to go.

ALL I really want for 4.9 is the ability to group playlists in folders. That would help a great deal.

[BornAgainMac]

I think Steve already mentioned that it would come out in 6 weeks or so. So rumor came from him but it is just that nobody can remember anything but Intel.