Apple Wipes iTunes Pages on Facebook and Instagram, Begins Moving Away From iTunes Links

[B4U]

Cloud.

Wait, what?
[doublepost=1559453149][/doublepost]

Perhaps "iTunes" continues to function on the Mac as strictly a synching portal for iDevices. Purchases and organization takes place on the individual Apps.

Really hope they keep something like that to manage the apps on iOS devices instead of making us download again and again.
Otherwise, I am not buying a new Mac as it does not work anymore.

 

[TrulsZK]

If they kill iTunes I still want to do everything iTunes offers today
- Import songs /TV-shows not in iTunes store / Apple Music
- Use Get Song Info menu with ability to change song name, see play count, etc
- Able to export songs (i have bought or imported) as file
- Sync songs, etc to iOS devices, encrypted backups of iOS device, etc
- Restore iOS device with corrupt iOS, forgot passcode etc

With the last two are they going to keep iTunes or create another app like Apple Sync?

 

[TonyC28]

I feel like I’m probably missing something, but how will we back up our iPhones? I’ve always used my Mac for that and never iCloud.

 

[RudySnow]

Given Apple's fairly rubbish support of older versions of MacOS security wise, that only really gives me two years.

Then theres the slight issue where Apple likes to tie updates of iWork (for example) to MacOS versions and iOS versions. I update to the latest iOS when it comes out because Apple gives ZERO support to older versions of iOS, meaning that to keep my devices in sync and working (for example in iWork) this requires updating the Mac as well.

The fact is, that the cloud doesn't offer a syncing service that replicates what iTunes does currently.
[doublepost=1559444578][/doublepost]

It made sense as iTunes became the hub to move content onto iPods and then iPhones and iPads. Personally one application that handles syncing that is integrated with the media libraries it is syncing makes sense than having to sync content from multiple different Apps. Syncing one new movie to a device by dragging it onto said device makes more sense to me than the method of going into the device, and having to scroll through unfamiliar menus to find content and then tick it to sync it over.

Also, made sense in the iTunes Store, if you were searching for a movie (for example), that you'd also get the soundtrack listed under, and then maybe a podcast related to it.

Wait, what?
[doublepost=1559453149][/doublepost]
Really hope they keep something like that to manage the apps on iOS devices instead of making us download again and again.
Otherwise, I am not buying a new Mac as it does not work anymore.

Good Lord... you people on MR scream hourly for new, innovative, and disruptive software, and when it happens, you cry for the good ol’ days.

Make up your collective minds!

 

[zooland]

Ugh, I get it but I still don't see the point, iTunes not perfect but totally working for me. It organises my music, I stream from Apple Match, home share to family and Apple TV.

And considering how Apple messed up so many programs in the past - iPhoto, iWorks - I am more than alarmed.

 

[peachpup]

More evidence has emerged to suggest that Apple is beginning to move away from its iTunes brand after over 18 years of use.

As noted on Reddit, Apple has abruptly removed all social media content from its iTunes page on Facebook, including posts, photos, and videos. This appears to have happened within the past 24 hours, as a cached version of the iTunes page on Facebook still had content available as of May 31.

As far as we can tell, it looks like Apple has migrated its iTunes page to its Apple TV page on Facebook, including not only all of the content but nearly 30 million likes and its original April 29, 2009 creation date.

Apple has also removed all photos and videos from its iTunes profile on Instagram, which points users towards the newer Apple TV page on Instagram, but its Twitter counterpart still has content for now.

The blank pages likely foreshadow bigger moves to come, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo have both reported that iTunes will be replaced by standalone Music, TV, and Podcasts apps in the next major version of macOS, which Apple is expected to unveil at WWDC 2019 on Monday.

Notably, while the overall iTunes app as we know it is expected to be discontinued, the reports did not suggest that the iTunes storefront for purchasing music, movies, and TV shows is going away any time soon.

iTunes has attracted its fair share of criticism over the years for being bloated software, so its split into three separate apps would be much welcomed. Apple's phasing out of iTunes is likely to be a gradual process, however, so the brand could live on in some capacity for the foreseeable future.

Update: As noted by the Iconfactory's Craig Hockenberry, some itunes.apple.com links for songs and artists now redirect to music.apple.com, serving as yet another example of Apple moving away from its iTunes brand.

​

In fact, as noted by Kyle Seth Gray, it appears that Apple is in the process of dropping iTunes links for apps, podcasts, TV shows, movies, and books as well. Apple will instead use category-specific links such as apps.apple.com, podcasts.apple.com, tv.apple.com, movies.apple.com, and books.apple.com.

​

Some of these links are already live, while others work if the URL is manually changed.

Article Link: Apple Wipes iTunes Pages on Facebook and Instagram, Begins Moving Away From iTunes Links

No doubt iTunes has been bloated for a long time. But I have used it from it's inception and know my around it pretty good like the rest of you. I don't mind them breaking it up into different apps. The ONE thing I still want to be able to do ... if they eventually do away with iTunes ... is the ability to copy, move, edit, convert audio files. Yeah, there are 3rd party apps that can do that - and I use them (Amadeus Pro).. but the ability to take audio songs/files and drag/copy them to the desktop was very cool. Then I could manipulate them how I wanted.

 

[Populus]

I truly hope they are keeping iTunes Match service, or at least, they rebrand it to Apple Music Match.

Hopefully they'll bring back Ping.

Sure, because a failed experiment about mixing a social network with a digital music store, is comparable to keeping alive a current streaming service of our own music in the cloud. Well, some of us are happy paying only 24€ just to have all our music everywhere, rather than paying 120€ per year just to listen to music we’re not interested in.

It’s about preferences, it’s about choice.

 

[MacHiavelli]

All the new hardware recently and the death of iTunes points to one thing: the end of Intel-based Macs. I expect this Dub-Dub will be all about preparing for ARM.

 

[rols]

All the new hardware recently and the death of iTunes points to one thing: the end of Intel-based Macs. I expect this Dub-Dub will be all about preparing for ARM.

The end of iTunes has nothing whatsoever to do with ARM macs and the latest hardware releases were two new MacBook Pros with the latest Intel chips inside. People have been confidently predicting an ARM mac for what the last 5 years, it'll come, but not this year. This year's WWDC is going to be all about Marzipan which is one of the technologies which will eventually lead Apple to ARM, in about 2 years time.

 

[RednBlue]

Que sera sera. Just have to wait and see

 

[neoelectronaut]

The move from iPhoto to Photos was fairly seamless, as long as this process is similar, I’m not too concerned...yet.

 

[alexhardaker]

The iTunes Store logo looks awful. Quite a few apps still look awful on iOS. Need to change

 

[Hieveryone]

About time lol.

With Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Youtube...

iTunes needs an upgrade

 

[benny390]

If they kill iTunes I still want to do everything iTunes offers today
- Import songs /TV-shows not in iTunes store / Apple Music
- Use Get Song Info menu with ability to change song name, see play count, etc
- Able to export songs (i have bought or imported) as file
- Sync songs, etc to iOS devices, encrypted backups of iOS device, etc
- Restore iOS device with corrupt iOS, forgot passcode etc

With the last two are they going to keep iTunes or create another app like Apple Sync?

I would love to do that on my iPad as well. Especially edit the metadata like I did for years on iTunes.

 

[pika2000]

Apple: Getting rid of hardware and software to make room for more hardware and software we're gonna get rid of

That’s the nature of Silicon Valley. Go look at how many products that Google dropped, often without any replacements.

 

[first-to-tea]

The iTunes page transparency gives the following names changes and dates.

The Apple TV page transparency gives the following names changes and dates.

 

[StuKatz1]

That's an excellent point. If you want everyone on board with your switchover you need everyone on board. This could also signal these new apps are coming for Windows.


Dial-up modems and fax machines changed the world, too.

iTunes has had a damn fine run, and if it's run its course then it's time to let go.

What is most evident is the dramatic shift that has taken place within Apple, since offering incredible products and services like iPhone and iTunes.

Of course I agree that this particular app has ran its course, that is pretty obvious.

 

[the_marcinm]

Kinda sad to see it go, however, it's about time considering the fact that the majority of us use streaming and cloud services instead of managing our multimedia files locally. I used to buy CDs even like 2 or 3 years ago, then would rip them to iTunes as Apple Lossless, and even got me an external DAC when the phone jack was ditched. But as far as listening to media on the street goes, it's just not worth it, and it's too cumbersome as well. Just one of the changes we, the tech people, experience on a daily basis.

 

[Janichsan]

There are many reasons I think sunsetting iTunes is a bad idea, though I acknowledge I may be in the [largish] minority on that. One reason, however, will be the complete crapshoot of online search results for the inevitable problems that require troubleshooting.

Generic names like Music, Photos and TV (etc.) will make it that much harder to find support articles for upcoming software problems. At least with names such as iTunes, GarageBand, or iPhoto, you could clue in on pertinent material much easier.

It's attention to the little details like these that really separates the great from the merely okay.

As I have some experience with frustrating attempts to find certain things about Photos and Apple Music on the internet, I can confirm you have a certain point. However, this is rather an argument against Apple's unimaginative branding than the actual fact of splitting iTunes.

I seriously cannot understand all the complaints about iTunes. Unless I'm really under utilizing it, it works perfect for music, as a matter of fact, it's playing my music right at the moment. The album view is great, my music is sorted by genre and artist too, so I can quickly find the song I'm looking for. Lyrics work great as well. I also do use it to sync music to my iPod(s) and that also works flawlessly, so that's not it either. Maybe you guys are shopping through it and that doesn't work as it should?

If somebody could quickly summarize what they don't like about it, I'd greatly appreciate it. I hope the next app is, well largely the same... because I cannot find anything so wrong about it that it desperately needs a replacement and all the hate it gets. I just hope Apple doesn't dumb it down and messes up our neatly crafted music libraries.

(and yes, I'm running the latest version of iTunes, so it's not some old but great version of it which people can't let go)

You might not have noticed it, but you actually provided a good case for killing the current iteration of iTunes.

You use iTunes to play music, which it in fact does pretty well, and to manage your iPods.

But you do not use it to download and listen to podcasts. You do not use it to download and listen to audio books. You do not use it to download and watch TV shows and movies. Presumably, you did not use it buy and download iOS apps before Apple removed this feature. You did not use it to buy and manage ebooks in the past. You did not use it to access Apple's two failed attempts of music related social networks.

All these features that have nothing to do with listening to music, and yet Apple crammed them all into a single application.

That's why iTunes is bloated and that's why splitting into a number of smaller dedicated apps is (in general) a good idea.*

(* Which Apple will most likely c*ck up, given their recent track record.)

 

[pika2000]

Kinda sad to see it go, however, it's about time considering the fact that the majority of us use streaming and cloud services instead of managing our multimedia files locally. I used to buy CDs even like 2 or 3 years ago, then would rip them to iTunes as Apple Lossless, and even got me an external DAC when the phone jack was ditched. But as far as listening to media on the street goes, it's just not worth it, and it's too cumbersome as well. Just one of the changes we, the tech people, experience on a daily basis.

Nobody said that you cannot do what you did with this rebranded software.

 

[the_marcinm]

Nobody said that you cannot do what you did with this rebranded software.

That's true.

 

[partsofspeech]

What does this mean for the iTunes Music Store?

Because really, Apple Music and the Music Store should be integrated. Music should be smart enough to show a song/album as available for streaming or purchasing depending on whether the user has an Apple Music subscription or not.

I vote for separation of Music and Store.
[doublepost=1559465660][/doublepost]iStore, iPlayback, iSync — perfect teammates
[doublepost=1559465921][/doublepost]

Kinda sad to see it go, however, it's about time considering the fact that the majority of us use streaming and cloud services instead of managing our multimedia files locally. I used to buy CDs even like 2 or 3 years ago, then would rip them to iTunes as Apple Lossless, and even got me an external DAC when the phone jack was ditched. But as far as listening to media on the street goes, it's just not worth it, and it's too cumbersome as well. Just one of the changes we, the tech people, experience on a daily basis.

At this stage of music listening experience, I need CD quality tracks more than ever. Streamed music is too coarse for in-depth listening.

 

[oldmacs]

Good Lord... you people on MR scream hourly for new, innovative, and disruptive software, and when it happens, you cry for the good ol’ days.

Make up your collective minds!

Well if Apple made an innovative way to replicate the syncing of iTunes in an innovative cloud based way, go for it.

Covering 1/4 of the functionality because its 'innovative' isn't a step forward.

I've got no problems with innovation etc, IF it isn't a step backwards functionality wise.
[doublepost=1559466894][/doublepost]

I would love to do that on my iPad as well. Especially edit the metadata like I did for years on iTunes.

Yeah I love how I'd love for more iTunes to come to the iPad, yet it might be the other way around and we loose features...
[doublepost=1559466957][/doublepost]

What does this mean for the iTunes Music Store?

Because really, Apple Music and the Music Store should be integrated. Music should be smart enough to show a song/album as available for streaming or purchasing depending on whether the user has an Apple Music subscription or not.

I've thought this for ages! Half the reason iTunes is such a bloody disaster on the Mac is that they separated the iTunes Store and Apple Music. They should have been merged.

 

[AngstyKylo]

I seriously cannot understand all the complaints about iTunes. Unless I'm really under utilizing it, it works perfect for music, as a matter of fact, it's playing my music right at the moment. The album view is great, my music is sorted by genre and artist too, so I can quickly find the song I'm looking for. Lyrics work great as well. I also do use it to sync music to my iPod(s) and that also works flawlessly, so that's not it either. Maybe you guys are shopping through it and that doesn't work as it should?

If somebody could quickly summarize what they don't like about it, I'd greatly appreciate it. I hope the next app is, well largely the same... because I cannot find anything so wrong about it that it desperately needs a replacement and all the hate it gets. I just hope Apple doesn't dumb it down and messes up our neatly crafted music libraries.

(and yes, I'm running the latest version of iTunes, so it's not some old but great version of it which people can't let go)

Never had a problem with using iTunes since using the first version on Mac OS 9. Mostly use the current version to play podcasts and old purchased music.

 

[bluecoast]

As the URL’s are changing I wonder if we’ll be able to download the music, tv and podcasts apps tomorrow?

Else it’s going to be strange wiping iTunes from social media and still having iTunes sticking around...

...And what will happen to the iTunes music store? Will it be renamed to the ‘Apple Music Store’?

- Will it be in its own app?
- Or will he be part of the new music app?

Which if so, makes the new music app pretty much like iTunes but minus tv and podcasts. The mind boggles.

Or will it simply be that iTunes sticks around but with the podcasts, tv/movies and Apple Music sections removed and with it just being a music player and download store front - and Apple never talks about it ever again. Presumably the music app will still be able to play downloaded music files just like on iOS.

If so, iTunes will go back to where it was in 2003 for those people who are stuck in the noughties and want to download and rip their music still like dinosaurs (I’m joking).

Then eventually, when we have ARM macs and marzipan apps and iTunes doesn’t make it over the new ARM computers, we’ll see it slowly fade away until even the itms is discontinued (I’m betting 2022).

Edit:

P.S.: what about iTunes in the cloud? Surely that’s going to go soon.

And what about iTunes cloud library? It’s always been a metadata mess. Maybe it’s time to lose that too.
[doublepost=1559467861][/doublepost]

The end of iTunes has nothing whatsoever to do with ARM macs and the latest hardware releases were two new MacBook Pros with the latest Intel chips inside. People have been confidently predicting an ARM mac for what the last 5 years, it'll come, but not this year. This year's WWDC is going to be all about Marzipan which is one of the technologies which will eventually lead Apple to ARM, in about 2 years time.

ARM’s 2020 chip designs are about multi core and usage in automotive driving systems. Apple disparage intel on their earnings calls. We’ll see ARM MacBooks and iMacs at 2020 WWDC. I expect a near mirror image of the PPC to intel transition - but much faster than the apple of 2006 was able to accomplish, with these machines being on sale in September.
[doublepost=1559468203][/doublepost]

I can’t believe so many people here are upset about breaking up iTunes into multiple apps. The name iTunes implies it is MUSIC related, so why the heck did they make it the server for music plus video/movies, books, photos, etc.? That NEVER bleeping made sense! And on top of that, they use it to backup iOS devices. The only thing it should ever have had was music. It is way past due to get separate Music, Movie, Books, iOS Backup, TV Streaming, Podcast apps, etc. They are already screwing up though as the TV app seems to include movies and stuff other than streaming TV. The Apple development heads must have poop for brains when it comes to taking simple concepts and turning them into super confusing apps. Would you intuitively go to a music store to buy pizza? If Apple sold pizza they might try to make you do that.

Oh, and iTunes has been a PITA to use and a bloated pile of poop for years. A buggy pile of poop. Put that garbage in the digital dumpster!

I remember in 2003 thinking that iTunes was the coolest piece of software ever when I had bought an iPod and downloaded iTunes onto my windows XP pc.

Then I remember on my first Mac, an iMac with tiger that the brushed metal look was getting a bit old.

And then by the time of ping it really was feeling a mess.