iTunes Expected to Be Retired After Over 18 Years

[roland.g]

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.

Unfortunately you don’t know what you are talking about. Many many people don’t use Apple Music or the related services.

iTunes is bloated but likely they will fragment it and still fail to fix pervasive issues in both the Mac and iOS versions of the music app.

 

[Sethal]

If they would just add the ability to make and edit smart playlists/folders in addition to adding or editing the meta-data on iOS then I personally wouldn’t even need to use iTunes or whatever comes after it on Mac/PC ever.

Which brings up another question, what happens on Windows?

 

[Ateam043]

So how would one go about buying music?

I have Apple Music and while I enjoy it I don’t plan on keeping it forever.

 

[lucansmiles]

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?

It should be renamed to Apple Music Store..

Apple Music = Streaming
Apple Music Store = Purchasing

 

[dumastudetto]

so where iTunes Match goes to?

I expect it's being killed off.
Everyone else has already exited that business with the exception of Google. And Google themselves are transitioning away from matching cloud music with their new YouTube Music service.

 

[UmichAg]

The original version was so much more user friendly in terms or organizing and finding music. UEX got worse with each update

 

[rizzo41999]

While iTunes needs work, I don't think this is the move. It's just gonna end up being the same.

 

[kirky29]

Is this going to be like Aperture to Photos? In the sense that most ‘pro’ tools are non-existent? I can imagine in this new music app it won’t be possible to add your own artwork or edit metadata etc. Could be wrong, but....it’s Apple!

 

[dumastudetto]

Unfortunately you don’t know what you are talking about. Many many people don’t use Apple Music or the related services.

iTunes is bloated but likely they will fragment it and still fail to fix pervasive issues in both the Mac and iOS versions of the music app.

This would be the opportunity for those people to buy into Apple Music then.

 

[Zachari]

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

Come on! You don’t think Apple woul...

Oh nvm

 

[skogkatt]

There goes my youth.. I'm almost moved

 

[Goatllama]

It's finally happening!

 

[Smeaton1724]

Still using my 2004 iBook G4 with a WD 4TB External running iTunes 10.6 as an iTunes HomeShare. It's been solid serving content but natively can't play 1080p/4K video. Works with Homepod, Apple TV 4K etc. Hopefully Apple doesn't break any of the functionality I currently enjoy.

Edit -
To caveat this the only things I use this for is to utilize some old hardware I'd have no purpose for otherwise. Music should have its own app, Video/TV, Apps, Podcasts and Books. I'd like 'modern' Mac OS copying from iOS with sandboxed apps with individual functionality. iTunes 10.6 is too bloated but I turn off things in settings to literally allow me to serve music and Films/TV.

 

[oneMadRssn]

I will miss iTunes, but it's been a long time since iTunes has been good as a "jukebox."

Folks that manage large offline music libraries should check out Swinsian. It's a fully native macOS app for music management and playback.

 

[gmarm]

I feel kinda nostalgic already.

Still remember using the version in the screenshot on the first iMac back in 1998. Ah...

I'm old.

 

[dumastudetto]

Is this going to be like Aperture to Photos? In the sense that most ‘pro’ tools are non-existent? I can imagine in this new music app it won’t be possible to add your own artwork or edit metadata etc. Could be wrong, but....it’s Apppe!

Artwork and metadata is already provided by Apple Music.

 

[Lone Deranger]

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.

^^This!!! But with Apple's track record on this (QuickTime, Final Cut, iWorks, Aperture/Photos) you just know the new apps will lack a ton of features that will take years to be added back in again (with some never making it entirely).

 

[bchery21]

Now I'm intrigued on what will be the substitute for backing up for those who don't use iCloud.

 

[jonblatho]

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

Music.

 

[blcamp]

I want to still be able to make local image backups of my iPhone. Don't stick me on iCloud. I'm not always in a place with a reliable wireless connection.

 

[Glockworkorange]

I have a LOT of fond memories of iTunes. It was the application I lusted after in the early 2000's when I was on Windows and just a broke law student hoping to one day be able to buy a Mac.

The application still does a lot---they're probably going to dump much of its functionality in the utilities folder, so synching and things like will be stored with the folder containing "console," "AirPort Utility," etc., etc.
[doublepost=1559312068][/doublepost]

I want to still be able to make local image backups of my iPhone. Don't stick me on iCloud. I'm not always in a place with a reliable wireless connection.

You'll still be able to do that. And to restore it and update it. There will be options.

 

[cube]

It would seem that Apple does not care about users again.

 

[now i see it]

So iPhone data and pictures now will get backed up to the new Music App. Sounds logical.

 

[Paul_W]

Will they be creating versions of these apps to replace iTunes for Windows too?

 

[MRrainer]

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.

That's what they've done the last 18 years.
Look what we ended up with...