iTunes Expected to Be Retired After Over 18 Years

[MacRumors]

While it was initially reported that iTunes would live on in macOS 10.15, it now looks like the app will be retired, over 18 years after it was introduced by the late Steve Jobs at Macworld on January 9, 2001.

Apple will be replacing iTunes with standalone Music, TV, and Podcasts apps in the next major version of macOS, expected to be unveiled at WWDC 2019 next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman:

End of iTunes

iTunes has been the way Apple users listen to music, watch movies and TV shows, hear podcasts, and manage their devices for almost two decades. This year, Apple is finally ready to move into a new era. The company is launching a trio of new apps for the Mac - Music, TV, and Podcasts - to replace iTunes. That matches Apple's media app strategy on iPhones and iPads. Without iTunes, customers can manage their Apple gadgets through the Music app.

This information lines up with a recent report from 9to5Mac's Guilherme Rambo, who claimed that iTunes will be renamed to "Music" on the Mac. In other words, iTunes is going away and will be replaced by the new Music app, which is expected to become the new utility for syncing and managing Apple devices.

Steve Jobs quote from Apple's press release about iTunes in 2001:

Apple has done what Apple does best -- make complex applications easy, and make them even more powerful in the process. iTunes is miles ahead of every other jukebox application, and we hope its dramatically simpler user interface will bring even more people into the digital music revolution.

Here's what iTunes looked like in 2001:

iTunes has attracted its fair share of criticism over the years for being bloated software, so its split into dedicated Music, TV, and Podcasts apps will be much welcomed. Earlier this week, leaked screenshots provided us with our first glimpse at what the Music and TV apps should look like on macOS 10.15.

Apple is widely expected to announce iOS 13, macOS 10.15, watchOS 6, and tvOS 13 at its WWDC 2019 opening keynote on Monday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors will have live coverage of the event on our website and through MacRumorsLive on Twitter, so be sure to follow along for the latest updates.

Article Link: iTunes Expected to Be Retired After Over 18 Years

 

[Quu]

I love iTunes on my Mac. If they replace it with something else, it better be insanely great.

 

[Zachari]

What is dead may never die.

 

[thomas040]

So what app will I use to manage my iPhone and local encrypted backups? Third party? iMazing is pretty good, except costly.

 

[chooyoshi]

Now if only they could simplify file transfers to iOS by allowing mass storage drag and drop!

 

[andiwm2003]

good that it's gone. I hope they replace it with something less buggy, less bloated and with much easier navigation.

 

[ghanwani]

What will be used for backing up an iPhone?

(I don't use iTunes, but I can see an iCloud averse person using it.)

 

[AppleTrap]

Why not create an app called iPhone (or something similar ) and use that to sync with iPhones and other idevices? Music should only deal with music and that makes it an even lighter app

 

[BrettArchibald]

So will I need three different applications to transfer my music, my videos, and my books to my iPhone now??

 

[sshambles]

Wow, end of an era.

I’d still like to be able to purchase music. Can they at least still call that the iTunes Store?

 

[Ulfric]

What would happen to the purchases you made on iTunes?

 

[tevion5]

If they nerf iTunes like they did with apps like AirPort Utility I swear...

Please Apple, just add useful features instead of stripping them away.

 

[M.PaulCezanne]

Thank goodness. Long overdue.

 

[rpe33]

I understand this move. iTunes no longer really works in today's digital landscape, it's an extremely outdated concept. Quite frankly I'm surprised they didn't ditch it years ago.

 

[dumastudetto]

Nobody needs iTunes anymore.
Apple Music is everything. As long as there's a Mac app that interfaces with Apple Music then everyone will be good.

 

[William Gates]

What is dead may never die.

SO SAY WE ALL

 

[jsmith189]

What is dead may never die.

But rises again harder and stronger.

I hadn't really thought about it being the "end of iTunes". That's kinda sad lol.

 

[trifid]

‘Music app’ is probably going to be a lite iTunes with the same horrible UX or probably worse, way more dumbed down and unusable. The problem isn’t the multi-function, it’s the design.

 

[viettanium]

so where iTunes Match goes to?

 

[pmore]

Wait, what? Give us a chance to say goodbye.

 

[jsmith189]

‘Music app’ is probably going to be a lite iTunes with the same horrible UX or probably worse, way more dumbed down and unusable. The problem isn’t the multi-function, it’s the design.

Never understood this critique. What's horrible about its design, in your opinion?

 

[Heineken]

Thank goodness. Long overdue.

Long overdue having 3 apps lacking half the features of one app?

 

[needfx]

is it getting a rolex too?

 

[twocents]

Spotify has become my go-to to the point that I honestly can't remember the last time that I opened iTunes. It's pretty much only when there are iOS updates that I plug in my devices

 

[benshive]

I think I'd like to have one app that does all three rather than three separate apps.