I would have settled for a version of iTunes that finally adhered to Apple's human interface guidelines, but do what you have to do Apple.
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Apple May Be Planning to Break Up iTunes With New Music and Podcast Apps for Mac
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This may well be to get ahead of the (somewhat silly) push to break up big tech companies. Apple is laying the groundwork so they can be easily spun off if required.
Dang .. I can't believe anyone would be asking this question. But I'll bite LOL!!
iTunes has too many functions in one app.
- A music and video player
- Podcast and Audiobooks player
- Apple Music streamer (the only thing I want to use it for nowadays)
- Movie rentals streamer
- Digital store interface for music and movies
- For some time, it was also the bookstore, ringtone store, appstore for iOS (luckily these were already removed)
- iOS device driver
- iOS device diagnostic tool and manager, and lastly...
- Media server if you have Apple TV.
If you've ever used Spotify app for desktop computer (again, for both Windows or Mac) you'll immediately notice the difference. How fast Spotify loaded up, browsing for playlist and libraries, searching for musics, starting playback. It's all really lightweight and instantaneous. Meanwhile iTunes would take a couple milliseconds to just response and do the job. Again, both apps running on my desktop with a very fast SSD, so you may ignore drive latency.
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People love to gripe about iTunes being "bloated" but the fact is it's still deep with power user features that they could so easily destroy. Just because you don't use them, doesn't mean other people don't. I've got a library with media going back 15 years now, complete with ratings, smart playlists based on those ratings, custom artwork, lyrics I've collected and metadata that's all been carefully edited and corrected.
Are there bugs? Yes. Is there legacy cruft? Absolutely. There's stuff in iTunes like podcast management, for one thing, that dates back to when podcasts were listened to on iPods (hence the name).
But at the same time there are excellent media management tools, and Apple's MO in so many of these situations has been to absolutely strip down an app to the most basic, useless level and then slowly over many releases add back in the features users are clamoring for. See also: iWork, Final Cut Pro X, the discontinuation of Aperture, etc etc...
Are there bugs? Yes. Is there legacy cruft? Absolutely. There's stuff in iTunes like podcast management, for one thing, that dates back to when podcasts were listened to on iPods (hence the name).
But at the same time there are excellent media management tools, and Apple's MO in so many of these situations has been to absolutely strip down an app to the most basic, useless level and then slowly over many releases add back in the features users are clamoring for. See also: iWork, Final Cut Pro X, the discontinuation of Aperture, etc etc...
I still have iPods I use (nano, shuffle, classic), and no itunes would kill my ability to use them.
It's sad how people would rather rent everything than buy anything. Tech has rapidly become a socialist wasteland--a fraction of what it once was.
And of course they will ruin iTunes--Timmy and his cronies have wrecked everything they have touched.
It's sad how people would rather rent everything than buy anything. Tech has rapidly become a socialist wasteland--a fraction of what it once was.
And of course they will ruin iTunes--Timmy and his cronies have wrecked everything they have touched.
The article suggests that it would be splitted as two separated apps. You’re a power user of iTunes? Don’t worry it won’t be gone forever. You may keep using it
Meanwhile 99% users out there can enjoy a simple, lightweight app for Apple Music streaming.
And by doing so, Apple could also fix the labelling mess. The iPhone has this simple “Music” app while computer needs to open “iTunes” for streaming music.
Not so intuitive, don’t you think?
Uh, does anyone actually want the iOS version of Music instead of iTunes? That seems terrible to me, as iTunes has way more functionality.
Y’all funny. Watch when they split everything and create new apps you guys start complaining there are too many new apps, they should consolidate.
hold your horses is just a rumor
I also hope is true because apple needs to get rid of iTunes, fix it or replace it
but there is always the possibility that it might not happen after all
I like to think positive but never discard any possibility
nothing is certain until is proven or confirm
to really know for sure we will have to wait until 10.15
we are hoping changes for the best but it might end up being all the way around
then people will say I thought iTunes was bad but this is even worse
please bring the old iTunes back
I also hope is true because apple needs to get rid of iTunes, fix it or replace it
but there is always the possibility that it might not happen after all
I like to think positive but never discard any possibility
nothing is certain until is proven or confirm
to really know for sure we will have to wait until 10.15
we are hoping changes for the best but it might end up being all the way around
then people will say I thought iTunes was bad but this is even worse
please bring the old iTunes back
This change would open up a lot of possibilities, but it is absolutely ESSENTIAL that the combination of these apps would still allow all of the same functions as iTunes.
For example:
-Syncing iPods
-Adding/transferring own music files for iTunes Match
-Adding/transferring own movie files (iTunes + personally owned movies) to TV app
-Using External Drive for playing large library (downloaded/locally stored movies, music, and tv shows)
-Facilitating manual iPhone backups
-Ability to change metadata and other advanced features
The external drive is a HUGE must for me. I feel it is prudent to maintain a local copy of my entire library of music, movies, and tv shows. This is over 3TBs. I have slow, rural internet. If I can't transfer my downloaded library to these new apps AND run it from my dedicated RAID 1 HDD array, then I am simply locked out from the future of Apple's ecosystem.
Excited, but terribly terribly cautious.
For example:
-Syncing iPods
-Adding/transferring own music files for iTunes Match
-Adding/transferring own movie files (iTunes + personally owned movies) to TV app
-Using External Drive for playing large library (downloaded/locally stored movies, music, and tv shows)
-Facilitating manual iPhone backups
-Ability to change metadata and other advanced features
The external drive is a HUGE must for me. I feel it is prudent to maintain a local copy of my entire library of music, movies, and tv shows. This is over 3TBs. I have slow, rural internet. If I can't transfer my downloaded library to these new apps AND run it from my dedicated RAID 1 HDD array, then I am simply locked out from the future of Apple's ecosystem.
Excited, but terribly terribly cautious.
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While I like what you are saying, see how headphone jack is gone. All of a sudden headphone jack is considered burden and obsolete. The people who are using headphone jack are way more than those who use iTunes, I am pretty sure.
Without billions of user requesting Apple to do so, Apple will keep doing whatever they think fit. No game plan or not, situation will not change.
P.S. I've noticed people describing iTunes as bloated, and slow...
On my MacBook Pro 15’, 2017, 2TB SSD, macOS 10.14.4. it launches in 5-6 seconds! To me that's plenty fast, particularly given my 280+ Smart Playlists, and lots of Metadata!
Years ago, my Launching Speed slowed down 10-15 seconds. But that was on Old Powerbook G4, which did not have SSD HD, which makes a huge difference!
Also, I had rebuilt my iTunes Library, and that 10-15 seconds Launch Speed dropped to 4-5 Seconds!
Also, with iOS 11, compared to iOS 10, the USB Sync to iPhone became 2X Faster, and iOS 12 and macOS 10.14 made that Sync 2X Faster still! So I am VERY HAPPY about that!
But, as I wrote my previous post on this Thread,
I want to:
Keep My Own Music SEPARATE from Apple Music!
Sync My Own Music to iPhone!
Stream and Download Apple Music to the same iPhone, instead of it having to be a Separate iOS Device, like iPad, iPod touch, or Spare iPhone, and having to use 2 Separate Headsets!!!
I hope that I am not alone with such requests, so that Apple doesn't overlook them!
How do you know Apple will be maintaining a power-user centric app for media managment? Would be great if they did, I agree, but I given their track record of wiping out and "simplifying" power-user apps, I'm not so confident. I'd be happy to be proved wrong here -- but the part in this rumor about this being one of those god-awful watered down "Marzipan" apps (aka, sloppy seconds from iOS) doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
I don't know that it's that big of a deal, honestly. Maybe you weren't aware, but you can also reduce the iTunes interface completely down to this MiniPlayer window. Still too confusing?
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This is just my personal guess. But I think iTunes will still exist for those who needs diagnostic tool and manager for iOS devices
Meanwhile the new Music app will be strictly used to stream apple music, managing subscription, maybe even downloading them for offline use, and that’s about it. Pretty much like the Spotify app.
There is an app available on iOS (unfortunately not MacOS) called Music Library Tracker. I forget the name of the dev - it is a few dollars, but it does an amazing job in keeping track of every single change to your music library - additions and deletions. If you are worried about license takedowns or simply disappearances like what you experienced, pick this up and you'll be protected. Note that it only starts tracking once you install the app and run it for the first time. Then it will work in the background, but you can't see changes prior to your first installation of it.
Now, lore and behold, you can finally see iTunes dead, alongside everybody who are tied to it one way or another.
Of course I’m aware of that. Like you, I’ve been using iTunes way before Apple Music even existed.
The problem for me isn’t about minimized interface, just the overall sluggishness of the app. On a fast ssd and internet connection I can’t imagine I have to wait for spinning ball everytime I click something on Apple Music.
But that’s what happening with iTunes while music app for iOS is pretty slick and lightweight. A simple, spotify-style music app for Mac (and probably, Windows) would be a godsend.
I do agree that iTunes must still be there because you’ll never know when you need iphone or ipad plugged for diagnostic.
The consensus I think would be:
- iTunes app for managing local music library, iOS device manager, and purchasing contents
- The new app would be for dealing with Apple subscriptions in general, listening to Apple Music, and probably integration with the upcoming TV+ app. (As of now, News has its own app along with News+ subscription, but who knows it will be integrated also)
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50000 songs for 54GB.... 22K mono.
That is... quite something.
My solution is to add more hard drives as I collect more music. Sacrificing quality over space is not a good choice.
For the topic, I don’t think your use case is “legacy” enough, as I also shift playlists and albums synced to my iPhone. But Apple will likely introduce a new music app that does not allow iTunes sync feature at all. Only Apple Music. Not sure about local library but syncing may no longer be an option.
Except people who listen to their music and backup their iPhones and iPads. Other than that...
It looks like you misunderstood me... The Space on MacBook Pro 15’, 2017, macOS 10.14.4 is not an issue, with 2TB SSD. My next MacBook Pro will have 4TB SSD, but...
Because Apple insists on 256K, I won't have enough space on the biggest iPhones they make!
Apple Music also has a limit of 75K Songs that one is allowed to Upload!
Apple Music doesn't allow us to pick which Tracks we want to Upload! If it did, maybe 256K would be less of a problem, because I'd make a Selective Choices, that I can control!
Those are some of the limitations that I am talking about!
I want My Own Music Library to be Separate from Apple Music!
Many people have their own LPs or whatever recordings on their Macs, and they want to Sync them to their iPhones! They don't want to give up a Full Control of their own Music, and let Apple Music handle it for them, and mess up their Metadata, or worse!
As many people have said, it's also wise to keep Local Backups of everything, instead of just trusting iCloud, or any kind of Cloud...
You don’t need a Mac for syncing/backup/updates.
Anyway, of course they won’t delete the app from existence. They’ll hide it somewhere in the application folder, so that old farts like you still can use it. Over time there will be less and less old farts, and once some macOS update breaks compatibility with the app I’m sure everyone are already fine with over the air updates and iCloud backup.