RUMOR: Apple to merge Safari and iTunes

16 years ago

“Apple may be preparing a massive move that will propel Safari from niche browser to market leader,” Mark Reschke reports for T-GAAP. “The move to merge Safari and iTunes into one software solution appears long in the works, which may arrive this fall at Apple’s usual iPod special event.”

“Safari’s weak market position allows for Google to make bold moves, as evidenced by their recent discontinuation of h.264 support within their Chrome browser in favor of its WebM video codec,” Reschke reports. “While this isn’t a direct affront to iTunes or Safari, it is an attempt to further alienate the iOS platform, which also damages Safari.”

Reschke reports, “It is believed that Safari will be the only browser able to access iTunes, as iTunes is built into the browser itself. ‘Moving iTunes organizational side-bar into Safari isn’t a monumental task’ claimed a source, adding ‘Safari would skyrocket in use as a result of integrating the software titles together.'”