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Apple May Be Planning to Break Up iTunes With New Music and Podcast Apps for Mac

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newitunes122logoWith the launch of macOS 10.15, Apple may be planning to release separate Music and Podcasts apps for the Mac, according to developer Steve Troughton-Smith.

In a tweet shared this afternoon, Troughton-Smith said that based on evidence he's discovered, Apple appears to be working on new UIKit-based Music, Podcasts, and Books apps for macOS, all three of which will join the TV app that Apple has said is in the works.

Separate apps for each of these services suggest that Apple is planning to break up the iTunes app for Mac, which is where Podcasts, Movies, and TV Shows are available at the current time. Apple already has a Books app, but an updated version or separate app that includes audiobooks could be in development.


Apple in macOS Mojave introduced the groundwork for cross-platform iOS and Mac apps, and Apple introduced dedicated Mac apps for Stocks, Home, Apple News, and Voice Memos. All of these apps were based on iOS apps, and with new the software coming in 2019, additional iOS apps could be brought to Mac to replace iTunes.


Troughton-Smith has, in the past, shared accurate info on Apple's plans based on hints and code discovered in current versions of Apple's operating systems.

Apple will macOS 10.15 alongside iOS 13 at its 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference, which is set to kick off on June 3.

Related Forum: macOS Catalina

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Top Rated Comments

johnyslats Avatar
johnyslats
97 months ago
Hope this is true. iTunes is a mess
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
E
eatrains
97 months ago
Device syncing/backup/updates and Windows compatibility are big question marks here...
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sedulous Avatar
Sedulous
97 months ago
Would be nice to get some of the bloat out of iTunes. But I must admit, I do miss the iTunes App Store.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
QCassidy352 Avatar
QCassidy352
97 months ago
These things should definitely be in their own apps. That said, I’ve never had a problem with iTunes, unlike some here. It’s not the best app, but it’s perfectly usable. (Maybe just seems that way to me since I’ve been using it since 1.0...)
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iObama Avatar
iObama
97 months ago
I'm equal parts nervous and excited.

[actually just mostly nervous]

iTunes is a bastard, but it's my bastard, ya know?
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheIntruder Avatar
TheIntruder
97 months ago
Well as long as no functionality gets lost along the way, no problem.
Unfortunately, that hasn't been Apple's MO when they can old versions of apps and rewrite them (QT7 to QTX, iPhoto to Photos, AirPort Utility, FCP/X, Disk Utility, etc.). The new iterations are dumbed down and lacking the same amount of functionality.

And with Apple's current focus on services, any new "Music" app is likely to be geared more toward selling and serving the subscription service rather than a user's personal library. The crappy iOS revamp has already provided ample evidence of that. iTunes has its faults, but it has always been a very capable program.

Apple users from the 80s and 90s may be loathe to admit it, but Apple has taken on many of the qualities that we hated of Microsoft in those days. Buggy, unpolished product, and being able to coast as a large company that can throw its weight around.
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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