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iTunes for Windows Soon?
- Thread starter daedelgt
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It wasn't up to Apple
Apple couldn't launch both at the same time, even if they had the software ready, because the record companies only made agreements for a Mac version. They are looking at it as a test market. Getting them to open up to virtually all computer users (in the US, anyway) is the biggest hurdle to a Windoze version.
While a version of Quicktime that enables AAC will certainly be required, I doubt that they would be bundled. That would make the download much larger, and forcing people to download iTunes when all they wanted was Quicktime would be rather impolite.
mactastic
macrumors 68040
I was thinking exactly that when I heard that they were looking for a developer to lead the windows itunes port. Hmmm, I said to myself, what better way to put up a smokescreen than to announce a long development time for the windows version, and then spring it on us early. I wonder who got hired into that position, and whether there was already work under way before that job announcement was posted... I'm not much for conspiracy theories, but I wouldn't put something like this past SJ.
It's obvious that Apple had iTunes for windows ready at the launch of the music store. They just held back hoping to spur Mac sales. But with competition gearing up, they had to change plans.
Windows users' habits
One thing that strikes me as a stumbling block to Windows users using iTunes is that it isn't skinnable. When I was first introduced to mp3s way back in high school, everyone downloaded tons of skins for WinAmp. You were almost scoffed at if you used the original interface. I don't know how true that still is, but it must be to a certain extent, as even WMP comes with different skins.
iTunes, as elegant and functional as it is, is locked into the brushed metal look. I can certainly see some of my power-user friends snubbing it simply because they can't customize it. Even worse, the brushed metal look is not an established look on the PC. I suppose it's possible winTunes will have an interface that blends more with XP, but I think it's unlikely.
One thing that strikes me as a stumbling block to Windows users using iTunes is that it isn't skinnable. When I was first introduced to mp3s way back in high school, everyone downloaded tons of skins for WinAmp. You were almost scoffed at if you used the original interface. I don't know how true that still is, but it must be to a certain extent, as even WMP comes with different skins.
iTunes, as elegant and functional as it is, is locked into the brushed metal look. I can certainly see some of my power-user friends snubbing it simply because they can't customize it. Even worse, the brushed metal look is not an established look on the PC. I suppose it's possible winTunes will have an interface that blends more with XP, but I think it's unlikely.
Re: Windows users' habits
If they want to use the iTMS, then they will use iTunes.
Also, isn't this something that could be hacked? Couldn't someone figure out a way to make the look customizable? I'm sure it would be possible.
If they want to use the iTMS, then they will use iTunes.
Also, isn't this something that could be hacked? Couldn't someone figure out a way to make the look customizable? I'm sure it would be possible.
Uhh, I think you're confusing the NY Post with the NY Times.
I'd love to see the rest of America jump on board, but I'm not feeling any sense of urgency. I already have access to iTMS; I'm a Mac user.
Re: It could be ready
I think the posting of that ITMS developer postion certainly fits in well with the smokescreen idea. At the time the job listing was posted, I remember everyone on these boards thinking how fishy it was that they were looking for a developer at that stage. Many speculated, and it may prove quite correctly, that they were very far along in the development process. To ease competitors concerns they laid out the long time line (i.e. end of the year) and posted a job ad that could mislead.
That said, I hope that they release a finished product. I know that the mac haters from the Windows world are going to find any flaw in the program and scream and whine about it. It also goes without saying that the biggest competitive advantage Apple has with ITMS is the seamless integration from store to software to hardware (iPod). I would hope that above all else, this ease of functionality is not lost porting ITunes to the Windows platform. This is their niche when the competition arises, and it will.
I think the posting of that ITMS developer postion certainly fits in well with the smokescreen idea. At the time the job listing was posted, I remember everyone on these boards thinking how fishy it was that they were looking for a developer at that stage. Many speculated, and it may prove quite correctly, that they were very far along in the development process. To ease competitors concerns they laid out the long time line (i.e. end of the year) and posted a job ad that could mislead.
That said, I hope that they release a finished product. I know that the mac haters from the Windows world are going to find any flaw in the program and scream and whine about it. It also goes without saying that the biggest competitive advantage Apple has with ITMS is the seamless integration from store to software to hardware (iPod). I would hope that above all else, this ease of functionality is not lost porting ITunes to the Windows platform. This is their niche when the competition arises, and it will.
Abstract
macrumors Penryn
Or they just put more people onto the project once other companies started annoucing their plans.
Sorry I didn't read through the entire MS Music Store thread (its waaaaay too long 😱), but doesn't MS have to work through the red tape and other legal issues with the Big 5 music companies like SJ??? Even if MS wanted to release their store before Apple does for Windows, surely it would be different (ie: maybe not a "per-song-download" like Apple). If it was extremely similar to Apple's store, they probably wouldn't even agree to jump on board the MS store unless they were providing something new and different. I think the iTMS will be fine, even if they release iTunes for Windows in December.
Sorry I didn't read through the entire MS Music Store thread (its waaaaay too long 😱), but doesn't MS have to work through the red tape and other legal issues with the Big 5 music companies like SJ??? Even if MS wanted to release their store before Apple does for Windows, surely it would be different (ie: maybe not a "per-song-download" like Apple). If it was extremely similar to Apple's store, they probably wouldn't even agree to jump on board the MS store unless they were providing something new and different. I think the iTMS will be fine, even if they release iTunes for Windows in December.
Sayer
macrumors 6502a
Apple already has Windoze Developers
There is this little company called FileMaker which makes products for Windoze. Apple also allegedly has an AppleWorks for Windoze project. And an OS X for Intel project.
I am sure Apple could have pulled off a few people and stuck them in a cubicle with iTunes 4 code and a PeeCee and said "Make it so." Then Steve came by and said "If you don't finish by WWDC you are *so* fired! And who approved that desktop picture of Avril Levigne! Get it off now!"
There is this little company called FileMaker which makes products for Windoze. Apple also allegedly has an AppleWorks for Windoze project. And an OS X for Intel project.
I am sure Apple could have pulled off a few people and stuck them in a cubicle with iTunes 4 code and a PeeCee and said "Make it so." Then Steve came by and said "If you don't finish by WWDC you are *so* fired! And who approved that desktop picture of Avril Levigne! Get it off now!"
Jerry Spoon
macrumors 6502a
Letting the Cat out of the Bag
Anyone have ideas on how Apple might advertise to pc users once this comes out? Do you think they'll stick to the magazine ads and a few commercials here and there, or will they do more? I really question how affective those ads are. I notice them, but my head always inadvertantly turns towards the apples (especially the macintosh's) when I'm passing through the produce section in my grocery store🙂
Anyone have ideas on how Apple might advertise to pc users once this comes out? Do you think they'll stick to the magazine ads and a few commercials here and there, or will they do more? I really question how affective those ads are. I notice them, but my head always inadvertantly turns towards the apples (especially the macintosh's) when I'm passing through the produce section in my grocery store🙂
Sayer
macrumors 6502a
Oh yeah.
Apple also has some ShareWare called QuickTime ported to Windoze, which happens to also include large parts of the Mac OS to make it work.
You can (or used to be able to) use it to make Mac software run on Windoze with a little fudging.
iTunes uses QuickTime and its codecs and DRM to make all the magic happen. iTunes is largely a file manager with WebKit embedded inside to run the Music Store.
Apple also has some ShareWare called QuickTime ported to Windoze, which happens to also include large parts of the Mac OS to make it work.
You can (or used to be able to) use it to make Mac software run on Windoze with a little fudging.
iTunes uses QuickTime and its codecs and DRM to make all the magic happen. iTunes is largely a file manager with WebKit embedded inside to run the Music Store.
I was thinking this too when I saw the story. It could have been a neat little bit of marketing ju-jitsu. Let the competition think they have nine months when in fact they had about nine weeks.😎
If windows gets iTunes would that make pc's albe to use an ipod for mac and an ipod for windows? and maybe the next ipod update require iTunes and not have mac/pc versions. iTunes for windows sounds like a good idea just for the ipod thing. I mean, an ipod without itunes is kinda sucky. It would be cool if there werent mac/pc versions because you could probably get an ipod cheaper and it wouldnt matter what OS you wanted to connect the ipod too. I think anyone who buys an ipod deserves the update songs on ipod command.
Re: Re: Windows users' habits
Hopefully they will use iTunes. 😉 And I'm sure people will love it once they do. The problem is getting them to try it in the first place, and I'm just envisioning message boards full of, "d00d, don't ev3n try it, it doesn't have sk1nsorz!"
And yes, I'm sure it could be hacked. I'm pretty sure there are already hacks for the Mac version. But that's extra work, and people don't like work. 😉 Hopefully the uber-users who care about skins will take the time to hack the interface, and the casual users will be fine with the built-in interface. And soon everyone will be using iTunes, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, 'til death shall you part.
BTW, I have no problems with the interface myself. I really love iTunes. I'm just playing devil's advocate.
Hopefully they will use iTunes. 😉 And I'm sure people will love it once they do. The problem is getting them to try it in the first place, and I'm just envisioning message boards full of, "d00d, don't ev3n try it, it doesn't have sk1nsorz!"
And yes, I'm sure it could be hacked. I'm pretty sure there are already hacks for the Mac version. But that's extra work, and people don't like work. 😉 Hopefully the uber-users who care about skins will take the time to hack the interface, and the casual users will be fine with the built-in interface. And soon everyone will be using iTunes, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, 'til death shall you part.
BTW, I have no problems with the interface myself. I really love iTunes. I'm just playing devil's advocate.
Doesn't surprise me
When I heard Steve say it would be the end of the year before iTunes for Windows, I knew that was silly, for two reasons.
1) They were surely thinking about it beforehand. It had to have come up in conversations with record exec's. It wasn't like the night before the ITMS announcement Steve suddenly got the idea for a Windows version.
2) Building a music player isn't rocket science. They've got all the inner-guts code for Mac, they've written WinQuicktime which has support for MP3 (just needs AAC), and the internet connectivity is a breeze (they could even use the built-in IE API's). They know what the UI will look like. Etc.
And I just looked - Apple still has the iTunes programmer open (http://jobs.apple.com/, search for "itunes") . You don't think they've taken two months to fill it do you?
When I heard Steve say it would be the end of the year before iTunes for Windows, I knew that was silly, for two reasons.
1) They were surely thinking about it beforehand. It had to have come up in conversations with record exec's. It wasn't like the night before the ITMS announcement Steve suddenly got the idea for a Windows version.
2) Building a music player isn't rocket science. They've got all the inner-guts code for Mac, they've written WinQuicktime which has support for MP3 (just needs AAC), and the internet connectivity is a breeze (they could even use the built-in IE API's). They know what the UI will look like. Etc.
And I just looked - Apple still has the iTunes programmer open (http://jobs.apple.com/, search for "itunes") . You don't think they've taken two months to fill it do you?
Checking with the Post
I just sent an e-mail to the Business editor at the NY Post, asking him to verify that the "end of the month" part is correct or to fix it if it is a typo.
I don't know if he'll write back or not, but I will continue checking the story for an update.
If I hear either way, I will post it here.
I just sent an e-mail to the Business editor at the NY Post, asking him to verify that the "end of the month" part is correct or to fix it if it is a typo.
I don't know if he'll write back or not, but I will continue checking the story for an update.
If I hear either way, I will post it here.
Something to consider is that the software is only half of the puzzle. The licenses are the other half. Last we heard they were still in negotiations with the majors (had only signed two as I recall?).
When the original "end of the year" announcement was made it may have been obvious that the software would be done in a few months but there was still the issue of the licenses to deal with. It would be better to make a vague statement like "the end of the year" than a more specific one like "in a few months" with the spectre of the record label discussions still hanging there.
When the original "end of the year" announcement was made it may have been obvious that the software would be done in a few months but there was still the issue of the licenses to deal with. It would be better to make a vague statement like "the end of the year" than a more specific one like "in a few months" with the spectre of the record label discussions still hanging there.
The new iPods work with both Macs and PCs out of the box. There are no longer separate boxes for PC iPods. And yes, I'm sure iTunes for Windows will have the same great syncing functionality and simplicity as the Mac version. Good news all around! 😀
joker2
macrumors 6502a
Job Posting
I don't know about Apple's policies, but in some places I've worked, it was policy to publicly announce a job vacancy even if you've already selected someone internally to fill it. I suspect this may have been the case here.
I'll echo the sentiments of others on thread that they had to already be in development on iTMS before the Keynote announcement.
I don't know about Apple's policies, but in some places I've worked, it was policy to publicly announce a job vacancy even if you've already selected someone internally to fill it. I suspect this may have been the case here.
I'll echo the sentiments of others on thread that they had to already be in development on iTMS before the Keynote announcement.
Re: Doesn't surprise me
There are actually still 2 positions "open" for the iTunes for Windows project. 1 is for a software engineer; the other is for Quality Assurance. I just can't see any way that these positions have not been filled yet. This has to tell you that something's going on.
There are actually still 2 positions "open" for the iTunes for Windows project. 1 is for a software engineer; the other is for Quality Assurance. I just can't see any way that these positions have not been filled yet. This has to tell you that something's going on.