“The next version of iTunes, which Apple says will be out by the end of the month for both Mac and Windows, represents the latest step to address some of [the] changes in the way people store and use their content on computers,” Josh Lowensohn reports for CNET.
“It’s more deeply tied into Apple’s media store, as well as a user’s music collection that can now be backed up and stored indefinitely in Apple’s cloud as part of a paid subscription service,” Lowensohn reports. “Apple’s even redesigned its player to put many of the commonly used features in a widget that can be used even when you’re doing something outside of iTunes.”
Lowensohn reports, “All these things are likely to be welcome additions for longtime users, but the fact remains that the software now plays a less important role in the way people are finding, purchasing, and ingesting content. Consumers have bought more than 20 billion songs from Apple during the past nine years, but where that’s happening has changed dramatically. According to Apple, two-thirds of iTunes downloads now come from iOS devices, as opposed to desktops. That statistic, mentioned by the company at the unveiling of iTunes 11 in September, is more impressive when you consider that iOS devices have only been in existence since the iPhone in mid-2007, a little more than four years after Apple added its store to the desktop software in early 2003.”
Read more in the full article here.
Yea… iTunes is my go to portal for video, apps and hard to find music … It is just easier to navigate and view than the IOS versions… In addition backing up IOS devices id faster thru iTunes….iTunes is software I use literally every day …. I hope the changes move it forward.
That means it’s one louder.
iTunes 11—Nigel Tufnell Edition.
=:~
“…represents the latest step to address some of [the] changes in the way people store and use their content on computers,”
Oh dear… I hope it’s ‘we the people’ and not the ‘people that work at Apple.’
iTunes for iOS does not have the ability to add songs to your Wish List, despite this being a rather obvious feature for a mobile device. Thus, I mostly use iTunes on my Mac to purchase music.
I totally agree. I often email the link to myself, but wish that panel had a wishlist button as well as a gift button.
It’ll be interesting to see how iTunes changes in v.11. I buy music both from my iPhone and from my Mini; I buy albums through the desktop OSX version, and single tracks via my phone, because I use Shazam extensively while I’m listening to BBC 6Music. They play lots of very new, and often quite obscure music on various shows, and Shazam is a godsend, allowing me to just tap on the iTunes icon.
Although even Shazam fails sometimes…
I cannot wait for iTunes 11. Especially for the new “Up Next” feature.
I’ve been waiting since Early October for this, and when I heard it was to be delayed by 1 month to end of november, I was gutted!
But just reading this article, it got me thinking to exactly what it was holding it up? Yes, It’s totally plausible, Apple hadn’t got all the kinks out yet. But what came out around this time? Windows 8!
Yes, we already know it’s a stinker, but why make iTunes for any version of Windows? It’s a pull product.
SO even though a minority of people would be stupid to buy a Windows 8 product, is it silly to speculate, that Apple were making sure iTunes will work on the failed Windows 8?
The moment that Apple released iTunes for Windows was a tipping point for Apple, and a major element of Apple taking over the portable music player business.
All they needed to do was say,”iTunes will be available for Windows 8 as soon as Windows 8 is ready for prime time.
I just hope they bring back “Save As” to it’s rightful position!
:~)
I have to admit I’m not really excited about the new iTunes.
I finished watching the keynote and wondered if I had missed something. iTunes for iOS is equally unimpressive, just starring a song takes about seven taps and the UI is clutzy.
Can somebody tell me what big new features iTunes has that will change how I use it?
Just wondering if any recent Mac devices will no longer be able to run iTunes11. Owners of those Macs will not be able to use new IOS devices that demand iTunes 11.
Needless to say, Wintel sufferers will doubtless still be able to run iTunes11 on veteran PCs.