RIP iTunes: Apple kills music-subscription service replaces it with three separate apps
View(s):It has been months in the making, but Apple has finally killed off iTunes.
The tech giant released the latest software for Macs, omitting the music-subscription service and replaced it with three new apps.
Called macOS Catalina, the update includes Apple TV, Apple Music and Podcasts, allowing users to organize their media into separate places and eliminating the need to dig through iTunes to find a movie or music tab.
Apple made the announcement in June that it would be pulling the plug on iTunes to make way for a trio of new apps – and the firm kept its promise.
When users update their Mac with Catalina, their current music library, as well as any playlists created in iTunes, will appear in the new Apple Music app for Macs.
None of their iTunes files will be deleted, they’ll simply be reorganized in the new Apple Music app. This includes any ‘ripped’ or imported music, as well as anything purchased through iTunes.
If users decide to subscribe to Apple Music, they can also choose to hide the iTunes Store ‘to simplify the experience further.’ Users can still listen to all the files imported from iTunes in the new Apple Music app for free.
TV and movies purchased in iTunes will switch over to the Apple TV app.
Additionally, the iTunes Music Store will still appear in the Apple Music app, it’ll just be housed in a sidebar now. Users will still get access to 50 million songs, plus music videos and podcasts, like they did before with iTunes.
Randy Nelson, head of insights at Sensor Tower, told AP that ‘The move away from iTunes really does perfectly mirror the general industry move away from sales’ and toward subscriptions, said Apple Music subscribers will no longer see the iTunes music store, unless they restore it in settings.
Non-subscribers will see the store as a tab, along with plenty of ways to subscribe to Apple Music.
The iTunes store for TV shows and movies will still be front and center on Macs, but will now live in the TV app.
© Daily Mail