Apple to Axe Itunes

[belz123]

Hello, I am an Apple user and have thousands of songs I have purchased in iTunes. Now that I've heard Apple is doing away with iTunes, what will happen to my song library and all my music? I really don't want to lose it all. Thanks.

 

[-Gonzo-]

Absolutely nothing will happen except accessing your music via a different app if using a Mac, you will have exactly what you had before but in the music app.

 

[jk73]

Aside from iTunes being split into Music, Podcasts, and TV apps, is any functionality known to be going away? For years, people have complained that iTunes was bloated, but as a heavy iTunes user, it's always been unclear to me what, exactly, should be eliminated (unless people simply have wanted separate apps with the same functionality). Thanks.

 

[smileman]

Aside from iTunes being split into Music, Podcasts, and TV apps, is any functionality known to be going away? For years, people have complained that iTunes was bloated, but as a heavy iTunes user, it's always been unclear to me what, exactly, should be eliminated (unless people simply have wanted separate apps with the same functionality). Thanks.

Same question.

How are full encrypted iPhone back ups for example working now? I heard something about doing this through Finder?

 

[RamGuy]

All the syncing, updating, backup etc.. Works pretty much exactly the same, it's just located in Finder instead of iTunes. In the sidebar in Finder you will see your phone when it's connected (or using WiFi-Sync) and the panel is 99% the same as it was in iTunes with all the same categories and features.

The new Music-app works pretty much identical to iTunes in terms of music. Same features, same options, can use both Apple Music and local music, music bought through the iTunes store etc... They have just taken the entire Music portion of iTunes and separated into it's own app and it looks and feels much more fluid in use.

Same goes for the new Podcast-app. Pretty much the same story as with Music. They separated what was in iTunes into it's own app, optimised the UI and performance.

They haven't really done all that much to make these new apps feel all that new or different to what these functions felt like within iTunes. But there are some UI-design changes and optimisations but the performance and fluidity is so much better and this is just BETA1!


My biggest question is what's happening with Windows. Will I have to still keep on using iTunes on Windows? That's the worst part of being a Apple Music subscriber. iTunes for Windows is so badly optimised, it was always ten times worse compared to the macOS version and it's really dreadful to use Apple Music on Windows due to it being strictly limited to iTunes on Windows. Really hoping we will see the new Music-app on Windows as well and one would figure that Apple would want to have the new TV-app on Windows as well?

 

[Tech198]

Well.. Apple would only focus on Mac as it's mail goal to separate apps as it's Apple..... Windows would be 2nd best and Apple's software, It may be separated on Windows as well, but I don't think no one knows, too early as Aple never announced any-ting with Windows iTunes would be the same.

I can't imagine that, because unlike Mac, iTunes on Windows also carriers the drivers to sync with iPhone/tablets as well..

Those drivers are already on the Mac,, so its only the app, which makes it allot easier.

 

[RollTide1017]

I’m curious how this will be handled for older macs. My mid 2011 iMac rolled off the update list last year so High Sierra is the last OS update for me. Will the new apps work on older macOS releases or will we just continue to use iTunes forever? I have a feeling we will still use iTunes because I don’t see them updating Finder on older OS’es to support iPhone/iPads.

 

[okvist]

As I understand it iTunes is going away and will be replaced by several apps. Now I am no big fan of iTunes however I do use it to store my music. So again as I understand it the music portion of iTunes will be replaced by an app called Music. What the heck is the app called Music. Is there such an app available now. I do not find it on the App Store. Does anyone recommend an alternative. Apple and music support have been lacking since Apple got rid of iPods that could hold a decent amount of music. I have an 80 GB old iPod that I use to carry all my music in my car. Will any of this still work????
Sorry to post this here but I just noticed that I was replying to another slightly unrelated question.
[doublepost=1559692266][/doublepost]

All the syncing, updating, backup etc.. Works pretty much exactly the same, it's just located in Finder instead of iTunes. In the sidebar in Finder you will see your phone when it's connected (or using WiFi-Sync) and the panel is 99% the same as it was in iTunes with all the same categories and features.

The new Music-app works pretty much identical to iTunes in terms of music. Same features, same options, can use both Apple Music and local music, music bought through the iTunes store etc... They have just taken the entire Music portion of iTunes and separated into it's own app and it looks and feels much more fluid in use.

Same goes for the new Podcast-app. Pretty much the same story as with Music. They separated what was in iTunes into it's own app, optimised the UI and performance.

They haven't really done all that much to make these new apps feel all that new or different to what these functions felt like within iTunes. But there are some UI-design changes and optimisations but the performance and fluidity is so much better and this is just BETA1!


My biggest question is what's happening with Windows. Will I have to still keep on using iTunes on Windows? That's the worst part of being a Apple Music subscriber. iTunes for Windows is so badly optimised, it was always ten times worse compared to the macOS version and it's really dreadful to use Apple Music on Windows due to it being strictly limited to iTunes on Windows. Really hoping we will see the new Music-app on Windows as well and one would figure that Apple would want to have the new TV-app on Windows as well?

**************************************************
As I understand it iTunes is going away and will be replaced by several apps. Now I am no big fan of iTunes however I do use it to store my music. So again as I understand it the music portion of iTunes will be replaced by an app called Music. What the heck is the app called Music. Is there such an app available now. I do not find it on the App Store. Does anyone recommend an alternative. Apple and music support have been lacking since Apple got rid of iPods that could hold a decent amount of music. I have an 80 GB old iPod that I use to carry all my music in my car. Will any of this still work????

I am a Apple guy but this strikes me as not being thought out well and poorly presented. I recently bought a new MacBook Pro replacing a nine year old MacBook Pro which still works fine (with a lot of hardware upgrades) but can not handle the current OS. I have had a lot of problems making the transition to the new machine because Apple has abandoned support of older peripherals (some of which are very much still in use). I am having a hard time seeing how this is moving forward.
MrOak

 

[Tech198]

I don't think there will be any problem..By shifting to separate apps, Apple is not facing anyone to get a new machineto upgrade yo a later OS..

Its just the app separation which is different, not the service that supplied...

Apple TV - Apple TV app on Mac and related streaming/watching content.
Music - billing, subscription to AM and purchasing music

We already have Music app on iPhone so it will be the same on Mac,

This wouldn't change for older OS's They'd still access all this via iTunes.

This would then mean you would have billing all over the place based on the app used.... but at a convenience of using only the app in question, and not iTunes that houses everything.

I guess the app separation would be could, checking billing/credit every app could be done via the web, login using Apple ID and manage all associated subscriptions from there instead.

Hopefully Apple does this right.

 

[jk73]

All the syncing, updating, backup etc.. Works pretty much exactly the same, it's just located in Finder instead of iTunes. In the sidebar in Finder you will see your phone when it's connected (or using WiFi-Sync) and the panel is 99% the same as it was in iTunes with all the same categories and features.

The new Music-app works pretty much identical to iTunes in terms of music. Same features, same options, can use both Apple Music and local music, music bought through the iTunes store etc... They have just taken the entire Music portion of iTunes and separated into it's own app and it looks and feels much more fluid in use.

Same goes for the new Podcast-app. Pretty much the same story as with Music. They separated what was in iTunes into it's own app, optimised the UI and performance.

They haven't really done all that much to make these new apps feel all that new or different to what these functions felt like within iTunes. But there are some UI-design changes and optimisations but the performance and fluidity is so much better and this is just BETA1!


My biggest question is what's happening with Windows. Will I have to still keep on using iTunes on Windows? That's the worst part of being a Apple Music subscriber. iTunes for Windows is so badly optimised, it was always ten times worse compared to the macOS version and it's really dreadful to use Apple Music on Windows due to it being strictly limited to iTunes on Windows. Really hoping we will see the new Music-app on Windows as well and one would figure that Apple would want to have the new TV-app on Windows as well?

Thanks for the detailed reply. I'm happy to hear that no functionality has apparently been eliminated.

As for Windows, I've seen it reported in several places that iTunes will continue as a Windows app, with no immediate plans for Apple to create different apps, etc.