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How iTunes Is Changing on PC

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Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#81

I like how Apple's page starts with "When iTunes was originally released, it had everything you needed to be entertained. Now, there are individual apps for all your media" - yes, exactly! That's the problem!

I disagree. It is nice to have separate apps for Music, Podcasts and audiobooks. You know, do one thing well. Spotfiy tries to do all of these and it's a bloated mess.

That's because they're a bloated SaaS company trying to monetize M4A files.

A music app simply lists what you have available. SaaS bloatware on the other hand constantly changes its UI to maximize engagement and nudge users towards ad-stuffed podcasts, because the music is a loss-leader for them.

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#82
post #78

It's strange that Apple keep this Windows software around. Is there really a lot of people on Windows that actually use this?

Yeah if you're a creative professional you often have a Macbook for web, presentations, comms, coding, photoshopping, design then a PC for video editing, AI and 3D.

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#83
Has iTunes on Windows ever been good? I think I tried it in 2003-4, and it was garbage then, so I uninstalled it. In the intervening 20 years, I've never heard anyone say "it's good now!", so I never re-installed it. I assumed that if you were a dedicated Windows user, you just wouldn't use iTunes, and if you weren't a dedicated Windows user but loved your iPhone, you'd do what Apple wanted you to do in the first place, and switch to MacOS.

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#84
post #78

It's strange that Apple keep this Windows software around. Is there really a lot of people on Windows that actually use this?

Every iPhone user that needed recover mode, or downloaded file to device sync, or needed some other software that requires the iTunes drivers.

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#85
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. It is nice to have separate apps for Music, Podcasts and audiobooks. You know, do one thing well. Spotfiy tries to do all of these and it's a bloated mess.

Unlike Apple, which can have all their apps installed by default on their OS, Spotify doesn’t have such luxury. They’re lucky if users take the time to download and install their one app let alone asking them to install multiple apps. I’m sure if Spotify had the choice they would split things into separate apps. Having separate apps makes it much easier to deploy changes since you don’t need to coordinate (as much) w…

> They’re lucky if users take the time to download and install their one app let alone asking them to install multiple apps.

In practice, this doesn't appear to be an obstacle. Companies like Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, etc. have many apps in the App Store "Top Charts".

If anything, this would be a smart marketing strategy if Spotify could (for example) make a compelling standalone "podcast" app, because it would allow them to double or triple their footprint on App Store charts.

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#86

I wanted to use Music on a windows PC that has a good DAC attached and I was politely told that they don't support security keys on windows. No alternative. No 'get a code on another device', just PFO.

Could Cider[1] be what you're looking for? It's basically a open source frontend for Apple Music that works on Linux and Windows. It's what I use to listen to my Apple Music songs on Linux, and it's amazing. [1]: https://cider.sh/

This app is INCREDIBLE. I have been extremely unhappy with macOS music compared to iOS and this seems to address all my use cases. thanks for sending it along :)

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#88

I hope ability to get photos off iPhones is improved. I can NEVER get it to fully work for more than a few pictures. I know we are supposed to sync them to the cloud now but it's nice to be able to put them on the big drive on the PC sometimes too.

Hmm, I have never had a problem dragging and dropping them off my iPhone via the device that shows up in the My Computer screen when I plug my phone in via USB.

I have done it this way since forever.

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#89

I wanted to use Music on a windows PC that has a good DAC attached and I was politely told that they don't support security keys on windows. No alternative. No 'get a code on another device', just PFO.

You should try it with the latest version:

https://www.macrumors.com/2024/02/06/apple-id-security-keys-...

Re: How iTunes Is Changing on PC

#90

Has iTunes on Windows ever been good? I think I tried it in 2003-4, and it was garbage then, so I uninstalled it. In the intervening 20 years, I've never heard anyone say "it's good now!", so I never re-installed it. I assumed that if you were a dedicated Windows user, you just wouldn't use iTunes, and if you weren't a dedicated Windows user but loved your iPhone, you'd do what Apple wanted you to do in the first pla…

I’m dedicated to Linux but I like my iPhone. iPhones are more-or-less standalone devices nowadays. They can backup straight to iCloud. The only thing I’d need to borrow a Mac for, as far as I know, is a factory-reset.

I last used iTunes on windows in like 2010 or so, I think. It was pretty awful. Although, it did have a neat feature, you could share your library over the lan, so it was neat to listen to other people’s music in a dorm. I’m sure they’ve removed that feature by now, it was too good to be true.

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