Tag Archives: iTunes

Rumor: Brand New iTunes Store And App Store To Launch This Year

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Lily


A new report is suggesting that Apple is hard at work revamping the user interface and structure of the iTunes and iOS App Store fronts and that the new UI will launch later this year. According to 9to5Mac, the new interface will make it easier for consumers to find and download quality new apps and music, putting continued focus on purchasing, downloading and consuming content.

The site is reporting that the new interface will be more simple than the current iTunes interface and will be much more focused upon interactivity and the user experience. The new interface will likely be designed to reflect the increasing importance of the App Store in the Apple ecosystem. As the number of apps increases, so does the difficulty in finding quality apps, or quite simply, that app that you are looking for.
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Editorial: The Limits Of ‘iTunes’

Posted on January 27, 2012 by AppleBitch


iTunes is a brand that is arguably as famous and well-known as any other computer or media branding. The software was initially launched by Apple in 2001, swiftly followed by the ‘iTunes Music Store in 2003 (subsequently shortened to the ‘iTunes Store’). Since then, the Store has grown from supplying only music, to offering movies, TV shows, books, podcasts and apps for iOS devices. It also acts as a hub for iTunes U and, with Ping, a social network based around music. So, how long is the name going to last?

The issue with continuing to call iTunes, well, ‘iTunes’ is that it no longer applies nor covers the scope of what the software and the Store actually does and offers. It’s a case of the brand taking over the functionality and, perhaps through lack of foresight or action, has resulted in the iTunes Store becoming Apple’s default media hub (iMedia anyone?) with a bit of a misnomer.
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Apple Posts iTunes Match Overview And FAQ

Posted on December 21, 2011 by AppleBitch


Apple has posted a new iTunes Match page on their website which gives details of what exactly iTunes Match is, how it works, and how to get started using it. The new page, spotted by a sharp-eyed AppleBitch reader, also gives an FAQ and can be accessed through a link on the iTunes ‘What’s New‘ page (click on the Learn More link at the bottom).

Currently, the site notes that the service is only available to users who have a US Apple ID, but it’s likely that this will change very soon when the service rolls out across the rest of the globe. The page also gives a description of which file formats are compatible with iTunes Match (AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Apple Lossless, and more), noting that any files that can be played with iTunes will be compatible.
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Beware Of Fake iTunes Gift Certificates

Posted on November 24, 2011 by Lily



As is relatively common around Thanksgiving time, Apple starts offering discounts on some of their items. Not eye popping, but still welcome nonetheless. However, what is less welcome this year is when a spam email starts doing the rounds claiming to be an iTunes gift certificate. The e-mail notifies recipients that they have received an iTunes gift voucher with an attachment that apparently holds an iTunes certificate code.

Of course, as with all malicious spam emails, there is no such code and instead the attachment contains malware  (detected by Sophos as Mal/BredoZp-B) which isn’t a terribly welcome attachment. Thankfully it only affects Windows systems but it might not be the only scam e-mail purporting to be from Apple that is doing the rounds.
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Apple Releases iTunes Match

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Dave



Apple has just released the next iteration of iTunes, software version 10.5.1, which includes the new iTunes Match feature. The service, available at $25 per year for users in the USA, allows users to ‘match’ their music collection with the massive Apple iTunes library to allow streaming of content from the cloud at 256Kbps quality. The service was initially supposed to launch in mid-October but the company missed that date, instead apparently waiting until now to release iTunes Match to the public.

While Match has been available to developers for some time, it’s a rather unexpected release of iTunes Match at this stage simply because a new beta was released to developers only in the past couple of days.
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Apple Releases iOS 5 And OS X 10.7.2

Posted on October 12, 2011 by AppleBitch


Apple has released iOS 5, the next generation operating system for iOS devices, to all iOS users as of today. The brand new OS is available now through iTunes software update and is compatible with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, the iPad and iPad 2, together with the third and fourth generation iPod touch.  The company has also released OS X 10.7.2 which brings with it iCloud compatibility, as well as enhancements to other apps such as Safari and iCal for full iCloud functionality.

iOS 5 brings with it a massive amount of improvements and new features over iOS 4, all of which are demonstrated in full on the Apple iOS Features page.  Some highlights include the new iMessage, Newsstand and Reminders apps, together with a new Notification Center, Wi-Fi syncing and activation, Twitter integration, and new iCloud based features such as Photostream.
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iTunes 10.5 Release Kicks Off iCloud Rollout

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Chris


Apple has today released iTunes 10.5, kicking off the rollout of iCloud over the next few days. The new iTunes software contains the functionality required for users who are looking to utilize iCloud when the new Apple service is launched over the coming days. In addition, the new software allows iTunes to automatically download new purchases that are made from the iTunes Store on other devices directly to a Mac or other devices without syncing. Users will also be able to re-download historical purchases without charge.

The iTunes release will be followed up tomorrow with the release of iOS 5.0 which, among other things, incorporates the functionality required for the use of iCloud with iOS devices. As such, other major changes in iTunes are related to the new iOS 5 software that is due to be released tomorrow, among them, the ability for users to be able to sync their iOS device with their Mac or PC over a wireless connection.
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iOS 5 Release Close As Apple Schedules iCloud Data Deletion For Sept 26th?

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Mark



Apple has informed developers with access to the iTunes Match portion of iCloud that their Match data will be erased on September 26th (via MacRumors). Developers were reportedly sent an e-mail informing them of the data deletion noting that the deletion was required “to improve the overall quality and reliability of iTunes Match, it has become necessary to delete all current iCloud libraries“.

The data deletion is likely taking place because Apple is preparing to release the GM or Gold Master build of iOS 5 that would be the final version of the software released to the public. As such, any prior bugs that were presented in the matched libraries of developers who had testing access to the new features will have to be cleared via a complete erasing of all iCloud data.  It is likely, therefore, that the GM build will be with developers soon in addition to being send to production factories to be installed on any new iOS devices that will be sold in the coming weeks.
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iTunes Match Beta Released To Developers; Apparently Allows Streaming Music

Posted on August 30, 2011 by Mark



Apple has released a new iTunes 10.5 Beta (version 6.1) to registered Developers which contains iTunes Match functionality, the hotly anticipated addition to the iCloud service (via MacRumors). The new feature, which will allow users to store their music in the iCloud locker without without having to upload all their tracks, will be available to developers throughout the beta period and developers will be given an extra three months on top of a twelve month paid subscription.

The cost of the service is $24.99 per year for the music storage but one interesting feature that has been noted in the developer preview is that the service will allow both streaming and downloading of music.  It had previously been thought that only downloading of music would be enabled but it seems that any ‘matched’ tracks will be available for real time streaming.
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Rumor: No Way Apple Is Working On A Subscription Video Service

Posted on August 27, 2011 by AppleBitch


Following on from an article by the WSJ yesterday which suggested that Apple could be working on a new type of subscription TV service, CNET has handed them an impressive bitch slap in the form of a rumor debunk, stating that there is no way that Apple is working on a subscription video service. Author Greg Sandoval strongly suggests that Apple is certainly not going to be in a position to offer a subscription based video service through iTunes in the near future, simply because movie studios want to make consumers pay more for online content.

“…does this sound like the studios are willing to back a new subscription service from Apple or for anyone else for that matter? No. Don’t put any stock in the rumors…My sources at the studios said three weeks ago that an Apple subscription service is not coming anytime soon, if ever….The talk coming out of Hollywood is about raising prices for content and offering Netflix less, not more. They don’t want to discount content just because it’s on the Web.”

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