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Apple Just Announced It Is Discontinuing iTunes As We Know It and Everyone Has the Same Question
The end of an era.
In case you're feeling young today, here's an alert:
iTunes has become so obsolete that Apple will be discontinuing the platform as we know it.
Apple announced the move during the company's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) on Monday afternoon. Given the advent of streaming music services like Spotify and the company's own Apple Music, the decision isn't necessarily surprising, but the move does represent the end of an era.
iTunes' online music market vaporized then-popular CD players with its ability to hold virtually unlimited songs in its library and offering millions of additional songs available for digital download. iTunes was designed to run with Apple MP3 players like the iPod Shuffle, the iPod Nano, and the iPod Touch, offering users a virtually unlimited music library—no CD catalogue necessary.
Though many have since adapted to the ubiquity of streaming devices, the nearly two decades' of music, movies, tv episodes, and podcasts downloaded and organized into iTunes they've stored over the years remain on their hard drives. Many people have one burning question:
What's going to happen to the songs we painstakingly purchased and ripped from CD's?
Apparently #itunes is shutting down....how am I supposed to keep all my songs and playlists I've had since I first… https://t.co/X6KRZaf53c— Fae🌺 𝐼 𝐿𝒪𝒱𝐸 𝒴𝒪𝒰 𝒯𝒜𝐸𝒴𝒪𝒩𝒢 💖 (@Fae🌺 𝐼 𝐿𝒪𝒱𝐸 𝒴𝒪𝒰 𝒯𝒜𝐸𝒴𝒪𝒩𝒢 💖) 1559368738.0
What the heck ? Are all my songs still good ? @iTunes things should be half off now ! @Apple why new apps? People r… https://t.co/gknKmB7RzJ— one L (@one L) 1559426388.0
rip iTunes I just hope that it doesn't wipe out all my songs I've uploaded over the years, which is in the thousands lmao— Matthew (@Matthew) 1559480363.0
So when the hell does iTunes become obsolete? Lol all my songs finna be homeless smh— Long Live Mexico Is Art (@Long Live Mexico Is Art) 1559529466.0
@HuffPost What happens to all my songs bought in itunes on my phone— TheaStuger (@TheaStuger) 1559534764.0
Rest assured. While iTunes as we know it may be gone, the landmark functions it provided will still be available, just divided into three separate apps once under the iTunes umbrella. Apple Music will still allow for syncing and streaming, Apple Podcasts will provide an online network of the podcasts spurred into existence by iTunes, and Apple TV will cover movies and television.
So, rather than iTunes automatically opening when an iPhone is connected, the iPhone will be available in the Finder window, with all syncing options presented in a more streamlined layout.
Nonetheless, people are sure to be nostalgic.
@arishapiro @npratc The first full album I ever purchased on iTunes, Green Day's American Idiot. That album never s… https://t.co/j8DRO2ns5p— Jake Smith (@Jake Smith) 1559587244.0
Please don’t end iTunes like it’s been my life since forever y’all have enough money you don’t need to cancel it cmon #WWDC19— ️ (@️) 1559587284.0
Alright, look... Children, sit down and listen. Your streaming service is garbage. Music AS a streaming service is… https://t.co/BXDx08tORd— Nikki (@Nikki) 1559587345.0
Others weren't as sentimental.
i'm so very here for apple throwing shade at itunes bloat. 'how can we make it better? calendar in itunes! mail in… https://t.co/GB1gzJyHq2— Bobby Main (@Bobby Main) 1559587619.0
I already miss iTunes. Kidding. Could you imagine?— Paul Thurrott (@Paul Thurrott) 1559587509.0
Wow, iTunes is actually dead, gone. Can’t say I’ll miss it though— Ian Sager (@Ian Sager) 1559587679.0
Love it or hate it, iTunes was another epoch in the centuries of evolving ways humans hear the immortal art of music. While the program may be fading out, the innovations it spearheaded will likely be remembered in the same breath as the gramophone, the walkman, and the CD-player.
Talk about ending on a high note.