Tag Archives: iTunes

Rumor: Twitter To Replace Ping In iTunes

Posted on August 2, 2012 by AppleBitch


Twitter could be used to fill the unsubstantial void left by Ping, when Apple is expected to discontinue and remove the service from iTunes later this year. According to a new report from the WSJ, Apple is looking to offer more comprehensive integration of Twitter across the OS X software spectrum, and one way of achieving this would be fuller integration with iTunes. The company is apparently in the process of planning how Twitter can be used in the context of an iTunes social network.

Ping was initially launched as part of iTunes in Fall 2010 and was designed as a social networking system with music at its core. Ultimately, however, uptake wasn’t what Apple expected and Piung was criticized for not offering enough social networking functionality. Indeed, the latest reports have suggested that Apple will likely be removing Ping from iTunes altogether when the company releases the next major version of iTunes, probably 10.7. The removal is expected to take place in the Fall of this year.
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Is Apple Going To Launch An iTunes Web Application Through iCloud.com?

Posted on June 30, 2012 by AppleBitch



Apple has published a rather interesting job posting on its recruitment website, suggesting that they could be looking to launch a web application for iTunes, perhaps allowing users to access and stream their iTunes libraries through a web interface, such as a new tab in iCloud.com. The posting is for an iTunes software engineer, with specialization and experience in Java and, notably, in ‘architecting web applications that scale to millions of requests per second’.

One possible opportunity for this person, therefore, could be to work on an iTunes web interface that would allow users to stream iTunes content directly from iCloud but without having to go through the iTunes software itself. Such an application would likely serve millions of users every minute. iTunes Match, for $24.99 per year, matches all tracks that are stored in a users’ iTunes catalog and gives them the opportunity to access them on any device. Is it possible that Apple is looking into a web-based iTunes interface for this, perhaps with streaming access via the iCloud portal at iCloud.com.
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Rumor: Apple Undertaking Massive Revamp Of iTunes

Posted on June 28, 2012 by AppleBitch



A new report today is suggesting that Apple is in the middle of completely overhauling iTunes with massive changes in store for the way that the software will be used to manage content. According to Bloomberg, the revamp will be the biggest change to the software since 2003 and will focus specifically on iCloud integration, allowing users to manage music, video and apps across all their devices. The new software will also have novel sharing functionality.

One of the biggest changes is said to be the discovery of new content, with a new focus on sharing. An example of this would be if one person purchased a song, and then sent that song to someone else to listen to in it’s entirety, presumably only once. In addition, Facebook and Twitter will also play major roles in the new software.
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With New Podcasting App In iOS 6, Is iTunes Undergoing A Transformation?

Posted on June 16, 2012 by Lucy


Apple is apparently working on a brand new standalone app which will make it’s debut when iOS 6 is released in the fall. According to AllThingsD, the app is going be a specialized podcasting app which will allow users to ‘discover, download and play them on mobile devices’. The app will provide a mobile replacement for the podcasting functionality, which Apple removed in the latest version of iTunes.

Interestingly, the move could point towards a certain amount of reduced functionality in iTunes, as the launch of a podcasting app would follow on from the release of an stand alone app, iBooks, for eBooks despite the fact that they can be purchased from iTunes. The same is also true with iTunes U. Certainly, iTunes seems to have become the repository for all media content that Apple offers, and is perhaps struggling a little under the load.
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Apple Releases iTunes 10.6.1 Update

Posted on March 29, 2012 by AppleBitch


Apple has released an update for iTunes to address issues with video and device syncing. The update brings the software up to version 10.6.1 and is available now through Software Update. The photo syncing bug that is described below had apparently hit quite a number of people according to the Apple Support Forums but the new version of the software appears to fix the bug. The changelist for the update is below:
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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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