iTunes hidden WMA support?

[Counterfit]

So I was repairing my permissions a few minutes ago, and I see

Permissions differ on ./Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/iTunes-wma.icns,
should be -rw-rw-r-- , they are -rwxrwxr-x 
Owner and group corrected on ./Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/iTunes-wma.icns
Permissions corrected on ./Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources/iTunes-wma.icns

Feeling suspicious, I decide to delve deeper. Sure enough, in the resources, there is an icon for WMA with the green iTunes logo. here's a PDF for now, I'll get a jpg or gif in a few.

 

[Counterfit]

Here's the jpeg.

edit: Did I put this in the wrong forum?

 

[DreaminDirector]

interesting... I'm sure it was built in for that "update" which turns the WMA support on. Just like the USB2 in the powermacs. Kinda weird at any rate. Nice find Counterfit.

 

[dricci]

This is simply for support for the older (I think Nomad?) MP3 players that also did WMA, so you could upload WMAs via iTunes to the player, but iTunes never could actually play them. At least that's my understanding.

 

[MacAficionado]

They will be ready!

Maybe they were just wiating for this to happen:

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20031028/D7UEU7R80.html

 

[Counterfit]

Originally posted by dricci
This is simply for support for the older (I think Nomad?) MP3 players that also did WMA, so you could upload WMAs via iTunes to the player, but iTunes never could actually play them. At least that's my understanding.

Then why would there be an iTunes logo for the files? Wouldn't the files use the WMP or VLC icon?

 

[arn]

WMA files have been in iTunes for a long time now...

it's not new... so presumably doesn't mean much yet.

arn

 

[Counterfit]

I suppose. I think I'll drop by my cousin's house and find what I can from iTunes 2.

 

[G5orbust]

Thats so WMA files can be recognized by iTunes and put into play lists, but not actually played. I think it is for third party MP3 players. I dont think Apple wants its files to have that blank white icon, so they will code in icons regardless of support. They have NVF, SD2 and SND files also. I have no idea what codec they are, but I sure know iTunes doesnt encode into them.

itunes>show package contents>resources

 

[hvfsl]

If Apple wants to beat all other portable music players, it needs to support OGG and WMA, it does not have to encode in those formates, just play them. At the moment, the iPod/iTunes are like Appleworks with no Word .doc support.

 

[Lanbrown]

Originally posted by hvfsl
If Apple wants to beat all other portable music players, it needs to support OGG and WMA, it does not have to encode in those formates, just play them. At the moment, the iPod/iTunes are like Appleworks with no Word .doc support.

Why support WMA when WMA will ultimately be its own undoing.