Apple to Start Offering iTunes on the Windows Store

[LordVic]

Why would I want to install iTunes bloat when I can play, for example, Soundcloud in any browser even mobile browser in the background and screen off?

https://m.soundcloud.com

Because there are millions of i-device users, who are happy in the iTunes ecosystem for their music and other media. There's nothing wrong with this.

Apple would be suicidal however to not allow for windows to be able to play / use / buy using iTunes. Despite how important we think Apple is (they are in many markets), Apple's PC lineup is still a very small player in the desktop OS ecosystem. Microsoft holding roughly 90% of the desktop user space, and Windows 10 has already passed 500 million installations.

making iTunes available for windows is a very important move. And putting it in the Windows Store means that anyone with any version of Win10, including the new Win10s, can use it.

 

[MacNut]

Apple users don't want iTunes why would windows users want it.

 

[dontwalkhand]

I like it. Why not? Microsoft offers apps for iOS and Mac, so iTunes should have been in the store a long time ago. This will make using that new sweet surface laptop even better.

Though I will always prefer my Macs, sometimes, it is easier just to grab the surface and go to a meeting. The MacBook Pro is still too heavy to take out and about.

 

[Born Again]

Bloated software from Apple with love.

 

[Sasparilla]

Wow, was not expecting this. The App Store is struggling on Windows just like it is on OS X. Microsoft with Windows 10 S makes it so the only applications you can install on your PC come through the Windows App store (and its 30% commission for Microsoft, their driver).

While the idea of Apple putting iTunes there is a nice thing in and of itself - from a strategic standpoint the less that is done to support the Windows App store, the better - when it comes to users being able to choose what (and from where) to install on their machines (and have it not expire due to certs or be blacklisted/disabled by a PO'd government). JMHO....

I like it. Why not? Microsoft offers apps for iOS and Mac, so iTunes should have been in the store a long time ago....

Microsoft had alot of restrictions for Apps to be in the Windows Store before (they really wanted to make Windows like iOS down to the restrictions on apps in the store), one of them was they couldn't be Win32 applications (which most Windows Applications are / were)...so iTunes, like many other things could not be there. They changed this requirement recently as it became obvious people weren't using the store (cause most of their normally used applications weren't there was one reason) - hoping this fixes things.

 

[Rigby]

I like iTunes. Still haven't found anything better to manage a large(ish) music collection, and I have zero performance issues with it on either MacOS or Windows. I agree though that the UI has gotten worse in recent years (less logical, more clicks required for simple things like switching sections).

Microsoft has a few of their apps in the Mac app store (such as Onenote and Remote Desktop), so why shouldn't some Apple apps be on their's?

 

[576316]

Does anyone think there's any chance at all of Apple making iMessage available on the Windows Store and/or Google Play store? Surely it could only be a good thing for Apple to try to push iMessage as the number one cross-platform instant messenger? I've heard some say they wouldn't because they couldn't guarantee the same security/encryption protocols cross platform, but WhatsApp seem to have managed it. Besides, any app could simply be a 'gateway' browser which just opens a web page version of iMessage which they host themselves, meaning the host computer doesn't store any iMessage data.

For example, I use a third party Facebook Messenger app which is really just a web browser that acts as a portal to messenger.com so the computer doesn't store any information/the app doesn't see any data and the encryption is fully upheld.

I recently switched my main desktop from my 2012 MacBook Pro to a custom PC build, for various reasons. The only issue I'm having is that I used to easily chat to my contacts via iMessage and now I've had to resort to Facebook Messenger, albeit it with a more limited number of contacts now. It would be a god send to have access to iMessage on my PC - as an iPhone and iPad user. It would allow me to stay relatively fully immersed in the Apple eco system whilst having my desktop be a PC.

 

[mi7chy]

iTunes will probably always be needed for those times when iOSx has hosed your phone and needs to be recovered.

Unfortunately, that's the only time I need to install iTunes bloat is to do a DFU recover on my iPads but afterwards I have to waste a lot of time not only uninstalling iTunes but also search for and uninstall all the subcomponents that it litters my system with like malware.

 

[iReality85]

Hopefully this will be cause for Apple to rebuild and recode iTunes from the ground up. It's seriously bloated these days. Runs fine, but is bloated.

I'd like to see them break down it's functions. Offer things like the player, the Music Store, and Apple Music separately, or be able to choose what you want during install.

For example, I buy all my music through my iPhone. I can't remember the last time I actually used the Music Store in iTunes to buy music. Probably not since I owned an iPod, which was until I owned an iPhone. Which was a while ago!

 

[rpe33]

If they bring iMessage to android and MS I would absolutely ditch my Mac.

no! why?! Mac is awesome!

 

[576316]

no! why?! Mac is awesome!

Mac is great, but it's not great for everybody and their needs. For example, people who need/want serious graphics power without paying Apple about 1000x too much for it (Mac Pro). Or the fact that many games are not available for macOS. I'm talking from my POV because I recently built a PC to replace my 2012 MacBook Pro because I'm a programmer and I need IDEs that only exist on Windows, and I need graphical power. It was much cheaper for me to build a very good PC than to buy a sub par Mac.

 

[Rogifan]

It isn't required buddy.

There are OTA updates and an iPhone can be set up and used just fine without ever touching iTunes.

It sure is required if you want to load media on to your device. And is there an easy way to get custom ringtones on your iPhone without using iTunes?

 

[killr_b]

Will it require Quicktime so it can hamper my boot time and bog the system background processes as usual?

 

[keysofanxiety]

It sure is required if you want to load media on to your device. And is there an easy way to get custom ringtones on your iPhone without using iTunes?

Well no, but again it's not mandatory. I got the impression you meant you couldn't have one without the other. I didn't realise you were talking about specific features. My mistake.

 

[Loge]

I don't have a problem with iTunes; with the right setup it can look pretty much the same as it did 10 years ago, and they recently added back the capability to open playlists in new windows, which was one of my main peeves about the newer versions.

 

[Rigby]

Will it require Quicktime so it can hamper my boot time and bog the system background processes as usual?

iTunes hasn't required or included Quicktime for years.

 

[Rogifan]

Well no, but again it's not mandatory. I got the impression you meant you couldn't have one without the other. I didn't realise you were talking about specific features. My mistake.

No problem. Believe me I try to use iTunes as little as possible. Which is why I want more flexibility with iOS so I never have to use it!

 

[barkomatic]

I think this is a good move since Apple needs to come to terms with the fact that fewer people are going to want to spend a ton of money on a Mac--so that it can sit around most of the time unused. Better to buy a cheaper PC and spend a little more on mobile devices, which Apple does a better job of updating in a timely fashion.

I still need a laptop, but don't need to spend $3K on something I open once a month or so.

 

[Pman17]

I wonder if this is in response to Windows 10 S, restricting to the Windows App Store before $50 unlock fee with their MacBook Air killer. Looks like a good thing as well. iTunes has been crap on Windows with low resolution and that stupid Apple Software Update Program. The Update Program keeps thinking I need to update to iTunes 12.6 when I already did. I've had issues where I had to make some changes in the Windows 10 registry to fix iTunes because it wouldn't install or run. With Microsoft putting all of their software on Mac, in fact running better on Mac than Windows, maybe Apple is finally giving in and starting to do the same.

 

[keysofanxiety]

No problem. Believe me I try to use iTunes as little as possible. Which is why I want more flexibility with iOS so I never have to use it!

Yeah that's understandable. Personally I find iTunes to be a little better than it has been in the past; it's certainly been easier to use, but definitely has been worse as well! It does what I need it to: syncs without an issue and plays my music library without a hiccup.

It doesn't inspire much of a reaction from me. But I can understand why many may dislike it.

 

[macsrcool1234]

Ew

itunes is bloated junk on any platform

 

[jdawgnoonan]

Good, hopefully Apple actually is introducing a new version of iTunes with this since the Windows version is absolute crap (not that the Mac version is too much better).

 

[Yebubbleman]

Apple plans to bring its iTunes app to the Windows 10 Store, Microsoft announced today at its Build developer event. iTunes, is, of course, already available on the Windows platform, but adding it to the Windows Store will make it easier for Windows users to find the software.

Gaining iTunes for the Windows Store is a win for Microsoft, as the Windows store is currently lacking many key apps like Google's Chrome browser and Spotify. Microsoft has strict app requirements that some companies aren't able to work with.

​

The addition of iTunes could potentially drive more customers to use the Windows 10 Store, with iTunes said to be one of the apps that Windows users search for most often.

According to Microsoft, iTunes will be added to the Windows Store by the end of this year.

Article Link: Apple to Start Offering iTunes on the Windows Store

A major victory for Windows 10 S.

 

[kinster]

I don't want iTunes (or Apple Music or Music or whatever) on my Mac, never mind on my Windows computer.

I've been using Spotify for 6 years now. I have no plans of ever going back to the disaster that is iTunes (I started Apple Music's free trial when that debuted. And ended it within a couple of hours because it was such a pile of garbage.)

Now iMessage... I'd love to have that on my work computer. Since it's not there, I have to recommend that people contact me via Skype or Facebook Messages whenever I'm at work. I'd love to tell people they can just iMessage me and I'll definitely get it at work...

oh man entitlement mentality. All about you.

 

[Porco]

Now you can go to the store to buy the content that lets you go to the store to buy content which has in-app purchasing to buy content, some of which can be apps to help you find content.