Apple Kills iTunes...now what for ripped mp3s?

[ericinboston]

Very, very long-time iTunes user here for my 55,000+ MP3 files (I'm an ex-dj and massive music collector). Apple announced a general statement a few weeks ago that they are killing iTunes. So what happens to folks like me with numerous iPods, iPhones, and iPads on iOS 10-12 who still to-this-day rip a few cds a week and put those songs in iTunes with fantastic Smart Playlists? Will Apple simply kill iTunes support in iOS 13+ and thus let all my existing devices work just fine so long as I never go to iOS 13 (or 14 or whatever)? What is Apple planning on doing to/for the millions of users out there like me (but not with as vast a collection as me...maybe they only have 2000 ripped songs)? There's absolutely no way I am buying new copies via Apple...nor am I going to try to "sync" my existing collection with some database Apple has. And I'm certainly not buying any future iDevices if I can't put my existing MP3 catalog on them.

Also, what about the 50+ movies I've purchased on iTunes for $20 a pop over the past 1.5 years? I like having the physical file on my computer just in case "something goes wrong in the cloud" but maybe I'm kidding myself to think that a $20 digital download via Apple will actually live beyond a year or 2 (unlike a bluray or dvd that will physically last decades and as long as they keep making the machines to play them).

I can't find any other threads on MR talking about this topic...do you have any knowledge and/or links to Apple or other authoritative websites stating what's to come?

Thanks.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Very, very long-time iTunes user here for my 55,000+ MP3 files (I'm an ex-dj and massive music collector). Apple announced a general statement a few weeks ago that they are killing iTunes. So what happens to folks like me with numerous iPods, iPhones, and iPads on iOS 10-12 who still to-this-day rip a few cds a week and put those songs in iTunes with fantastic Smart Playlists? Will Apple simply kill iTunes support in iOS 13+ and thus let all my existing devices work just fine so long as I never go to iOS 13 (or 14 or whatever)? What is Apple planning on doing to/for the millions of users out there like me (but not with as vast a collection as me...maybe they only have 2000 ripped songs)? There's absolutely no way I am buying new copies via Apple...nor am I going to try to "sync" my existing collection with some database Apple has. And I'm certainly not buying any future iDevices if I can't put my existing MP3 catalog on them.

Also, what about the 50+ movies I've purchased on iTunes for $20 a pop over the past 1.5 years? I like having the physical file on my computer just in case "something goes wrong in the cloud" but maybe I'm kidding myself to think that a $20 digital download via Apple will actually live beyond a year or 2 (unlike a bluray or dvd that will physically last decades and as long as they keep making the machines to play them).

I can't find any other threads on MR talking about this topic...do you have any knowledge and/or links to Apple or other authoritative websites stating what's to come?

Thanks.

Nothing changes in those respects: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210200

 

[Chundles]

Nothing changes. Your music stays in Music, your videos go to the Apple TV app.

 

[Shirasaki]

As a not-so-old iTunes user, I also have a sizeable library of over 3000 songs, 90% of which are Hi-Res files. A majority of them will, I am 100% confident, never be available in Apple Music. Hence, the iTunes library is pretty much my music library, plus a bit of movies, audiobooks and TV shows (I just bought all seasons “Friends”, a fantastic show). I also have a huge backlog of several hundred GB of songs waiting to be added to iTunes library. Again, no chance those songs are gonna be in Apple Music. Since the initial debut of Apple Music, I always remain skeptical simply because by paying $12.99/mo (family plan), you are renting music, not owning them. As soon as the payment stops, Music stops, and $12.99 ongoing payment could quickly add up to a huge amount over time. To add insult to the injury, thanks to the ever expiring licensing agreement, the same song you like to listen to will be unavailable overnight without prior warning. User is left out dry when this happens and has no choice. Renting content is only good for content discovery, period.

Sorry. Too much ranting. But I can totally understand your situation.

Back to the topic. The bad news is, iTunes Store will be shut down in the future. The good news is, the shutdown wont happen in the foreseeable future, probably two years or three. Likewise, iTunes support (in the form of new music app and finder in macOS) will exist in the, again, foreseeable future.
As for the iOS device support, iOS 13 will likely support iTunes and Will support the new Catalina music app. I guess iOS 14 or even 15 will also support iTunes. I am using iOS 13 beta 2 on my iPhone and iPad with High Sierra (32-bit app support and better software compatibility) and iTunes 12.6.5 (the last version that still support app management and ringtone management), and syncing feature works just fine.

And last, as a user, all I can do is preying Apple will peacefully leave us ancient users with huge personal library alone, untouched. We are ok with ancient software and outdated workflow. No need for new stuff thanks.

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

As a not-so-old iTunes user, I also have a sizeable library of over 3000 songs, 90% of which are Hi-Res files. A majority of them will, I am 100% confident, never be available in Apple Music. Hence, the iTunes library is pretty much my music library, plus a bit of movies, audiobooks and TV shows (I just bought all seasons “Friends”, a fantastic show). I also have a huge backlog of several hundred GB of songs waiting to be added to iTunes library. Again, no chance those songs are gonna be in Apple Music. Since the initial debut of Apple Music, I always remain skeptical simply because by paying $12.99/mo (family plan), you are renting music, not owning them. As soon as the payment stops, Music stops, and $12.99 ongoing payment could quickly add up to a huge amount over time. To add insult to the injury, thanks to the ever expiring licensing agreement, the same song you like to listen to will be unavailable overnight without prior warning. User is left out dry when this happens and has no choice. Renting content is only good for content discovery, period.

Sorry. Too much ranting. But I can totally understand your situation.

Back to the topic. The bad news is, iTunes Store will be shut down in the future. The good news is, the shutdown wont happen in the foreseeable future, probably two years or three. Likewise, iTunes support (in the form of new music app and finder in macOS) will exist in the, again, foreseeable future.
As for the iOS device support, iOS 13 will likely support iTunes and Will support the new Catalina music app. I guess iOS 14 or even 15 will also support iTunes. I am using iOS 13 beta 2 on my iPhone and iPad with High Sierra (32-bit app support and better software compatibility) and iTunes 12.6.5 (the last version that still support app management and ringtone management), and syncing feature works just fine.

And last, as a user, all I can do is preying Apple will peacefully leave us ancient users with huge personal library alone, untouched. We are ok with ancient software and outdated workflow. No need for new stuff thanks.

You seem to be confused about the axing of iTunes. There's Apple Music, which is a music streaming service, and then there is the new Music app, which replaces iTunes and does the exact same thing. Shoddy marketing by Apple yes, but here we are and there's really no difference for end users other than a hard time Google about the Music app.

And no, Apple has already verified that iTunes Store is not going anywhere, so no need to make up lies.

 

[Shirasaki]

You seem to be confused about the axing of iTunes. There's Apple Music, which is a music streaming service, and then there is the new Music app, which replaces iTunes and does the exact same thing. Shoddy marketing by Apple yes, but here we are and there's really no difference for end users other than a hard time Google about the Music app.

And no, Apple has already verified that iTunes Store is not going anywhere, so no need to make up lies.

While I admit my language may be confusing due to its ranting nature, and a bit too certain about iTunes Store shutdown, here is what I read back in 2016.
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/22981971/
Actually you are right. I mixed the axing of iTunes with iTunes Store in my previous post. I was meant to say “iTunes is gone”.

 

[ericinboston]

Nothing changes in those respects: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210200

Thanks for the link. The problem is that Apple does not directly address iTunes on Windows which is probably 85% of the iTunes base. It says the iTunes Store (not iTunes) will be available on Windows as well as other OSes but what does that mean?

iTunes is a thick client application that runs on Windows and Mac and has grown substantially in scope over the years. Within the iTunes application are all sorts of features and services such as ripping/importing your own cds, purchasing music using the Store, purchasing movies using the Store, etc.

As someone else mentioned here, a very high percentage of my music collection will never, ever be released via any kind of streaming service. Why? Because most of my stuff is promo-only (never released in any fashion to the public) and/or remixed music that is simply ultra rare. Add in other music such as remastered cds vs. original pressings and I have multiple versions of the supposed same "song". Heck, I have a few thousand songs that are vinyl-rip and have never been released on any cd (and yes, I check to see if they are available as a digital purchase).

What I hope is that whatever application Apple creates down the road will still include the basic functionality of importing my own MP3 files for use on all my iDevices:

1. App runs on Windows
2. Allows me to create Playlists and rich Smart Playlists just like now
3. Allows me to tag just like now

 

[BeatCrazy]

Thanks for the link. The problem is that Apple does not directly address iTunes on Windows which is probably 85% of the iTunes base. It says the iTunes Store (not iTunes) will be available on Windows as well as other OSes but what does that mean?

iTunes is a thick client application that runs on Windows and Mac and has grown substantially in scope over the years. Within the iTunes application are all sorts of features and services such as ripping/importing your own cds, purchasing music using the Store, purchasing movies using the Store, etc.

As someone else mentioned here, a very high percentage of my music collection will never, ever be released via any kind of streaming service. Why? Because most of my stuff is promo-only (never released in any fashion to the public) and/or remixed music that is simply ultra rare. Add in other music such as remastered cds vs. original pressings and I have multiple versions of the supposed same "song". Heck, I have a few thousand songs that are vinyl-rip and have never been released on any cd (and yes, I check to see if they are available as a digital purchase).

What I hope is that whatever application Apple creates down the road will still include the basic functionality of importing my own MP3 files for use on all my iDevices:

1. App runs on Windows
2. Allows me to create Playlists and rich Smart Playlists just like now
3. Allows me to tag just like now

iTunes for Windows is not changing or breaking into separate apps like on macOS.

 

[NoBoMac]

Apple told Ars Technica that on Windows, there will be no changes.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/itunes-for-windows-is-sticking-around.2184142/