How would you change iTunes?

[BigQid]

I saw an article about what has to change about iTunes and it got me to thinking, how would I change iTunes? My favorite thing about iTunes is the podcasts so my first thoughts were I'd make:

1) iTunes should play every common file type. There is no excuse for it not to.
2) my phone doesn't need to sync every time I connect it
3) it possible to make notes on files, which would help out students who are listening to a recorded lecture or podcast keep their notes matched to the lecture.
4) it easy to mark files, especially podcasts for deletion at the next sync
5) it possible to rearrange the order of podcast collections. There are some podcasts that are more important to me than others, so I'd rather have them at the top of the list rather than have to scroll to find my less than favorites.
6) it so podcasts could downloaded into folders, grouping podcasts together. I'd like to make my own news folder, a tech folder, etc.
7) my phone should be able to sync wirelessly. I want to be able to hit sync and have my phone say, this will take 2:30 seconds, I go to the kitchen and grab breakfast, walk out the door, listening to music all while the phone updates over the air.
8) Make updates less of an interruption

 

[roadbloc]

Rewrite to 64bit.
Kill Ping all together.
Make it simpler to use.
Get rid of the software bloat that was a result of adding silly features.
Remove the iOS App store and put it into the Mac App store when it is released. Dunno what Windows users are going to do then though.

 

[Fubar1977]

Wish Apple would give roadbloc a job, totally agree.

 

[Melrose]

I've been using iTunes almost since the beginning, and it's much better than it used to be. I don't mind the software features, but I think the Library sidebar really needs to be reworked. I'd put Devices, Store and all the "They Come With the System" stuff along the bottom somewhere - next to the Genius icon, the Shuffle icon, etc. Store should go on the right, Devices on the left or in the middle. How that would work with dragging music onto a device, I don't know but I'm sure they could find an awesome way to do it good.

Genius & Ping I don't use but don't mind. Genius I've used once or twice, but my dad loves it.

Playlists have to stay where they are - it is how you've chosen to organize your music, after all, so it should be prominent and easy to get to.

But those are minor, really. I try to use Winamp or Windows Media Player (which is a really, really dumba** name) and get confused and irritated in a few minutes. And this is from a guy who use to use them exclusively.

-
I disagree with that article, mainly because iTunes is not just a media player anymore.. someone mentioned that in the comments already though. It's a store, it's how you manage apps, etc etc. What should be done is have an option to "minimize iTunes" - which instead of just making the window smaller, it actually, really, genuinely hauls in the use of system resources until you click "full size" again.

 

[jb1280]

It would be really great if in Lion, Apple treated media in a similar manner as in iOS - ie. decoupling types of media from iTunes. I would like to see a very light 'video' and 'iPod' app available for OS X. iTunes can continue to be the bloated hub hog that it is now, but if you don't need to purchase or sync something it can just be ignored.

 

[TSE]

Honestly for the Windows version I would really appreciate it if Apple just coded it better. The only reasons I use iTunes is because the UI is simple (although it has become less simple), and my iPod Shuffle.

 

[velocityg4]

A feature I have wanted from the beginning is for iTunes to have server abilities or a payed iTunes Server version (though works with regular OS X and Windows).

I know about iTunes Home Sharing and music library sharing but neither works the way I really want it to. I have set up fairly full featured workarounds but they are not perfect. For a server version I mean that there is one central computer serving the itunes library.

iTunes Server Requirements
- All client machines use the server's library database, stored media and album artwork.
- Any client machine can add media (whether downloaded from iTunes store or ripped from disc)
- Any client machine can create playlists (both user specific and for all-users)
- Any client machine can delete media
- Ability to set privilege levels for users (if they can add/delete media, make playlists and type, parental controls &c)
- AppleTV and other devices can use the centralized library
- Client computers can sync chosen playlists and/or the entire library like the iPod/iPhone can (important for laptops)
- Solid iPad/iPod/iPhone remote control integration. That way you can start video or music playing through any or all computers, airport express and apple TV devices on the network you are authorized to control.
- Streamed synchronous media playback through all client devices (when you want to really rock out)

Other features I would like in iTunes
- Easy integration of DVD's ripped into full Video_TS folders.
- Default to column browser view on new installs with giant libraries (coverflow is no good with 20,000+ songs) with the column browser defaulted back to the top.
- Make Apple Lossless default for ripping CD's (most people end up using AAC because they just use whatever is default and hard drives are massive now)
- Better compatibility between OS X and Windows version (there is no reason why the library has to be rebuilt when dragging from Mac to Windows).
- Don't automatically reset the Quicktime service to start in Windows after an update when the user specifically disabled it (this goes with iTunes services as well)

 

[bigchrisfgb]

The ability to take music from my iPhone/iPod and place it into iTunes if it is one of my 5 allowed devices. That way Apple can still protect their iTunes store and I can still protect my music if my computer ****s up. (Yes I'm aware that I can just use my iTunes receipt, but other songs I have from CD's which I'm not able to find anymore, plus the fact that if you have a large collection of music then it could take a rather long time download it all again.)

The ability to stream free to air TV online through iTunes.

 

[garybUK]

* Stop breaking UI consistency with OSX.
* Remove Ping! and have the ability to remove the stupid icons in your library to Ping! Even though you don't want to use it.
* 64 bit support.
* Multiple library, or make the library portable.
* Folder watch/scanning (whatever you want to call it).
* start again for windows versions......
* Service/Daemon mode for servers (bit like daapd).
* Ability to reconcile media folder to library when location changes.
* Integrate other codecs e.g. Ogg/DivX etc.
* Sort out TV/Film file naming, it's dire when it puts it in folders.
* Bring back some colour to the UI.

 

[liquidsuns]

I'd start with a music subscription. Stream or download anything you want on your Mac or any idevice and apple tv. Still be able to purchase just like you can now. Then, I'd throw in wireless syncing with iPads, iPhones, and iPods. As well as streaming of your downloaded music/tv shows/movies etc, just how the Apple TV is now. So you could just stream from iTunes cloud or your Mac downloads, or you could download or sync or stream right from each device. All for like $15 a month.

As for iTunes digital booklets/LPs, I'd throw them in for an additional $5 a month, maybe, or keep them for purchases only. But regardless I don't think LPs should add anything to the cost of the album. They should be like iTunes Extras; just there to get us to purchase entire albums. They are actually pretty cool, just not worth the added cost usually. Oh, and have them be useable on at least the Apple TV and iPad, maybe the iPhone/Touch, if the screens are large enough.

For Ping, I'd have it keep track and display currently playing songs as well as keeping a history of played songs (like Last.fm). Have it tie into the ipod apps on iPad/iPhone/Touch. I'd make concerts easier to find, as they aren't really tied in and displayed very well, and have ticket purchasing within iTunes as one click. If you have a subscription, have Ping generate playlists based on music history.

Concert streaming across devices would be really cool. Maybe have them cost and/or included in music subscriptions.

Obviously and unfortunately, not much of this is up to just Apple.

 

[ravenvii]

iTunes needs to be dismantled.

Break it up into QuickTime X (plays movies and music), iSync (to sync your iPhone, iPod, iPad, and whatever) and iTunes (for the store and database).

 

[rhett7660]

A feature I have wanted from the beginning is for iTunes to have server abilities or a payed iTunes Server version (though works with regular OS X and Windows).

I know about iTunes Home Sharing and music library sharing but neither works the way I really want it to. I have set up fairly full featured workarounds but they are not perfect. For a server version I mean that there is one central computer serving the itunes library.

iTunes Server Requirements
- All client machines use the server's library database, stored media and album artwork.
- Any client machine can add media (whether downloaded from iTunes store or ripped from disc)
- Any client machine can create playlists (both user specific and for all-users)
- Any client machine can delete media
- Ability to set privilege levels for users (if they can add/delete media, make playlists and type, parental controls &c)
- AppleTV and other devices can use the centralized library
- Client computers can sync chosen playlists and/or the entire library like the iPod/iPhone can (important for laptops)
- Solid iPad/iPod/iPhone remote control integration. That way you can start video or music playing through any or all computers, airport express and apple TV devices on the network you are authorized to control.
- Streamed synchronous media playback through all client devices (when you want to really rock out)

Other features I would like in iTunes
- Easy integration of DVD's ripped into full Video_TS folders.
- Default to column browser view on new installs with giant libraries (coverflow is no good with 20,000+ songs) with the column browser defaulted back to the top.
- Make Apple Lossless default for ripping CD's (most people end up using AAC because they just use whatever is default and hard drives are massive now)
- Better compatibility between OS X and Windows version (there is no reason why the library has to be rebuilt when dragging from Mac to Windows).
- Don't automatically reset the Quicktime service to start in Windows after an update when the user specifically disabled it (this goes with iTunes services as well)

I want a server option like there is no tomorrow. I want the ability to add music to one location and all of my computer attached to that location are updated automatically. That would be freaking god send.

 

[Scuby]

Only two big things really:
- sync my iOS device via wifi - cables are unnecessary faff
- allow my iOS device to subscribe to podcasts, and not have to go to iTunes on my Mac

Oh, and while i think about it:
- make Genius better at recognising albums ripped from CD - quite a few CDs recently haven't been recognised, so at least a manual override would be good, or a document somewhere explaining what it's looking to match
- ability to have my managed collection setup so that movies / TV shows are on a different drive to my music - music i use all of the time so want locally, but for movies i would be happy using a slower / not always connected external drive
- better filtering of what photos from Aperture to sync to my iPad - and for it to actuslly put the correct photos in the correct albums!!! Seems to get very mixed up at the moment.

Think that's all )

 

[BigQid]

Hopefully they bought Lala to make it so even if you can't play all your music from the cloud at least you can use your phone to manage your library.

 

[KingYaba]

Dump the social media crap.

Support all file types (ogg, mp3, WAV, FLAC, etc)

Tune the store to subscription-based model of monthly fees and unlimited downloads. Sign a $10/month contract for two years and download all music from ___________ record company. Wishful thinking.

Actually give options to have high quality downloads and no gouging. If you're charging $1 a song, I want it as a FLAC but give people the option to download it as a 128kbps mp3 if they so choose. Options is key here.

The ability for iTunes to watch folders for changes.

 

[iStudentUK]

I'd make a big change an split iTunes in two. Keeping iTunes for music, podcasts etc and creating a separate application for TV shows and movies. I'd have a small separate programme for syncing iToys that feeds into these two.

I'd support more video formats like DivX etc.

Rewrite to 64bit.

Destroy any mention of Ping ever.