Tag: itunes

As Apple Retires iTunes, Here Is How It Paved The Way For Modern Music Platforms

When Apple first unveiled iTunes back in the year 2001, it revolutionized the music industry. Changing the way people purchased music and digital albums, iTunes remained as an iconic music symbol until now, because Apple has decided to break iTunes apart. iTunes is splitting into three different applications, namely Music, TV and Podcasts. However, the application will stay intact as a standalone iOS application and on Windows PCs. Let’s have a look at the interesting journey of iTunes through the years.

Formally launched on 9th January 2001, iTunes was introduced at a time where music was hugely downloaded via pirated websites and file-sharing platforms. The application had a fairly simple user interface, which made it easy for users to get accustomed to it. It had a simple billing procedure and a detailed yet vast catalogue of music and albums for users to pick from. In a nutshell, the iTunes application provided one of the best user experience at its time.

In the year 2003, iTunes made its way onto the Windows platform. This drastically expanded the reach of the application and made it accessible to a lot more users. This also removed the doubts regarding iTunes being an Apple-only service. However, Apple’s strategy regarding iTunes has always been closely linked with its devices, including iPhones, iPads and MacBooks.

Almost two years later, iTunes started offering TV shows for purchase. This marked one of the most defining eras for iTunes, where music was sold alongside videos, making iTunes the perfect go-to entertainment platform. If that wasn’t enough, Apple also introduced movies on iTunes in the year 2006. Apple was tasting a lot of success with its entertainment platform, so it decided to launch the ‘Genius’ feature within iTunes, which recommended new music to users based on previous listening patterns.

2008 was a really big year for Apple since iTunes became the largest music retailer in the United States. This literally marked the death of record stores, since most users were directly purchasing music from the iTunes store. To enhance the “music anywhere” functionality, the company launched iCloud almost 3 years later. It allowed users to back up their music files and other documents to the cloud. This meant that with an internet connection, users could access their music from any location.

With The launch of the iPhone in subsequent years, Apple required an initial setup and sync to be done using iTunes, and while this process has been reduced to device restores and wireless updates. iTunes will always be remembered as the pain point and the weak link for iPhone Jailbreakers.

In 2010 Apple also attempted to create a music social network dubbed “Ping”. This allowed users to follow artists and see short, timely postings by both friends and artists. This didn’t work as expected and Apple shut it down in 2012.

Skip forward to the present year, a lot of users were skeptical about iTunes’ departure from the scene. However, analysts stated that the iTunes shut-down is an integral part of Apple’s strategy to focus on subscription content and services. This will help Apple in radically boosting its revenue based on selective content delivering. Statistics exhibit that subscription services made up for about 80 percent of all online music and video revenue in the year 2018. Stats further reveal that Apple currently boasts of almost 56 million paying customers, indicating why it decided to branch out to three different applications instead of a single application.

Also Read: Apple Showcases The Updated watchOS 6 and tvOS 13 At WWDC 2019

Apple shutting iTunes doesn’t imply that all the content owned by users will be deleted in one go. The company will release some information shortly regarding the downloaded content. Expectedly, the content will be managed via Apple Music and other applications. Nonetheless, iTunes will always be one of those applications that revolutionized the whole culture of the entertainment when it was turning digital. And it did so in a way that a huge chunk of users depended on it for their daily dose of music and movies. Hopefully, Apple continues to introduce similar overhauls to the newly formed applications that can make up for the removal of iTunes from the Apple ecosystem.

June 4, 2019
Apple Is Providing User Data To The Indian Government

Apple is the preferred choice for many consumers since privacy is something the company boasts of in their ecosystem. But Apple also abides by the rules and regulations of the respective countries it sells its phones to and according to their latest transparency report, they seem to be providing user’s data to the government. Transparency reports are reports that are published in regular intervals by tech giants such as Facebook and Twitter. These are available for customers to see and includes data such as Government requests, Account Restriction / Account Deletion and Account Preservation.

It must be noted that the government does not ask for every Apple user’s data and these requests go through a rigorous screening process. These include the government asking for information on a particular user through subpoenas, court orders, warrants etc. According to Apple, government and private entities are required to follow applicable laws and statutes when requesting customer information and data from Apple. The reports from January – June 2018 suggest that the total Device requests in that time period were 27. Out of that, 17 requests were granted by Apple which is a 63% request approval. Device requests include information of a particular device that a particular person is using such as IMEI or Serial Numbers.

Financial Identifier Requests

Requests on financial identifiers from the Indian government amounted to 34 in total. Out of that Apple granted information on 29 which is an 85% request approval. Financial Identifiers are requests received from a government agency seeking customer data such as credit card or gift card. This is in light of the iTunes gift card fraud that has been prevalent for a while now. Requests for Account details such as Apple ID and emails were also made by the Indian Government. These amounted to a total of 18 in the half-yearly period. Apple gave information on 14 of those requests.

Also Read : OnePlus 5 And OnePlus 5T Start Receiving Android Pie Stable Update

Apart from these, 3 emergency requests were also made by the government and Apple followed through on all of them. These requests are made when the government requires user’s data on an emergency matter. There were no Account restriction or deletion requests made in the 6 month time period by the government.

December 26, 2018
Yahoo Messenger: Is It Back?

Today we have moved on from the age of emails and PCs to the age of texting and mobile phones, and with apps such as Viber, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype etc. the use of emails has become almost limited to being used exclusively for official purposes. In the process, age old apps like Yahoo have almost become redundant, especially with the growing popularity of new apps such as Google because of their efficiency and ability to cater to the growing needs of the modern lifestyle.

Recently though, Yahoo has made a silent comeback with the launch of its Livetext app on the iTunes app store. The unique feature of this app is that it is a peculiar combination of silent video chatting combined with texting. This app is unlike Skype or FaceTime. Users can have a virtual face-to-face chat and text each other simultaneously, without the voice getting in the way of the messaging. It should be very useful for people in business or classroom situations.

The advertisement for this app as the iTunes description states is as follows:

“Welcome to Livetext for iOS, the most natural way to have REAL conversations. It’s live video texting, without sound. You will feel like your friends are right there with you.”

Therefore, according to Yahoo, this new app should allow people to interact more naturally. This is Yahoo’s answer to making communication and interactions in the modern world efficient, interesting but yet personal and REAL.

The reviews for the app have been mixed. Some consider it a worthwhile comeback while others term it as ‘odd’. The necessity of silent video chatting has been questioned, although as previously mentioned it could be of use in certain situations. Apart from that, we also have apps such as FaceTime and Yahoo’s ultimate usurper, Gmail with functions such as Google+ Hangout which is basically “free video chat service from Google that enables both one-on-one chats and group chats with up to ten people at a time.” Yahoo Livetext on the other hand, is still not equipped for more than a 1:1 interaction- at least for the time being.

Yahoo made its app live, on July 11,2015. Livetext for iOS can use either a WiFi or cell connection. With the app having been launched only on the Hong Kong iTunes, it is yet to be seen whether it will hit the global market.

So, will you revert back to the revamped Yahoo? Let us know.

July 20, 2015
Twitter Gets Musical with its New Audio Card Feature

All of our Twitter timelines are going get more musical after the social networking giant launched a new Twitter Audio Card feature that is already being used by SoundCloud and Apple’s iTunes.

“The world’s most influential musicians and media producers already share unique audio content through Twitter every day. Today we’re introducing a new way for you to experience audio directly on Twitter. ” Twitter wrote on the official blog. “With a single tap, the Twitter Audio Card lets you discover and listen to audio directly in your timeline on both iOS and Android devices. Throughout your listening experience, you can dock the Audio Card and keep listening as you continue to browse inside the Twitter app.” blog post added.

HOT !!! Here is the @robin_schulz remix of #Dangerous !!! I really love it. Click below to listen to the track ;) https://t.co/nSxejse9Rc

— David Guetta (@davidguetta) October 16, 2014

In SoundCloud’s case, the Audio Card opens up a full-screen player for the audio, complete with whatever artwork the creator has uploaded to SoundCloud for it. The audio will continue playing when the card is minimised, though. As the new feature launched, Guetta tweeted a link to a new remix of his song Dangerous, while Chance the Rapper followed suit with a link to his new single No Better Blues.

This next one’s the first song on our new album! Listen here http://t.co/KVfURdxooT. — Foo Fighters (@foofighters) October 16, 2014

Twitter also announced that content by select iTunes artists will also appear in Audio Cards, allowing users to preview music that has not been released yet. U.S. rock band Foo Fighters gave fans a taste from their new album “Sonic Highways” by tweeting their song “Something From Nothing.”

It is worth noticing that the iTunes player on Twitter plays the whole song, unlike the preview on iTunes Store itself, which plays less than 2 minutes of it. Twitter said it is still testing Audio Cards, and plans to open it up to more partners and creators. The feature follows other Twitter Cards that allow users to add more content to their tweets such as in-stream videos.

October 17, 2014
Apple is giving Free Copies of U2’s new Album to every iTunes Customer

Over half a billion Apple iTunes customers can download a free exclusive copy of U2’s new album “Songs of Innocence”, starting right now. Making it the biggest launch in music history.

All 119 Countries with active iTunes account get this album exclusively with iTunes till october 2014, after which it will be available on other mediums.

September 10, 2014
Apple Releases iTunes 11.1 With iTunes Radio, Genius Shuffle And iOS 7 support
Apple’s continuous endeavor to improve its products and software has led to the next release of their music playing software, iTunes.

Features in the new software, according to Apple, include:
- Tunes Radio. Choose from over 250 stations or start a new one from your favorite artist or song. Enjoy iTunes Radio ad-free once you subscribe to iTunes Match.
- Genius Shuffle. Introducing a magical new way to experience your music library. Choose Genius Shuffle and iTunes instantly plays songs that go great together. Click it again to hear something new—enjoying your music has never been this easy.
- Podcast Stations. You can now create custom stations of your favorite podcasts that update automatically with new episodes. Your stations, subscriptions, and current play position sync over iCloud to the Podcasts app.
- Sync with iOS 7. You can now use iTunes to sync your favorite music, movies, and more to devices with iOS 7. In addition, iTunes now makes it even easier to quickly organize and sync apps to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Also remember that iTunes Radio is for U.S. iTunes account holders only for now, with no word on when international users will gain access just yet.

You can grab the new update from Apple’s website or by checking for updates in iTunes.
September 18, 2013
Here is a Roundup of Apple’s 10th September iPhone 5C and 5S Event

Despite many expectations, every bit of information from the past leaks came true as Apple took stage on Tuesday 10th September to launch two new iPhones the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C. One handset which is replaces the existing iPhone 5 and one which supersedes it.

The iPhone 5c which was expected to be a cheap iPhone, never really made it to that mark, basically its a complete change of play by Apple. It definitely looks cheap, thats thanks to the extended use of shiny/glossy plastic polycarbonate composite. But it also is a phone intended to replace the iPhone 5, a phone which was made out of premium aluminum and glass has been replaced by a phone made of plastic with the exact same specs and the exact same price. Sure it was intended to be cheap, a cheap move by Apple.

iPhone 5c

One thing it does do however, is play with the colors, opening the market to a frenzy of color options which have been limited to the two from the origin of the iPhone. The iPhone 5c retains the retina display and A6 chipset, along with the same 8 MP camera and lightning connector. It does add an upgraded FaceTime HD front camera for High definition FaceTime and VOIP calls.

The iPhone 5s however, is a whole new story. The existing shell of the iPhone 5 has been upgraded with a few new exciting enhancements in hardware, Apple calls the iPhone 5 “the most forward thinking phone ever”.

The iPhone 5s adds a new A7 architecture which adds new capabilities to the device. In retrospect, the iPhone 5 is half as fast and has half as powerful graphics in comparison to the new iPhone 5s. You also get a new camera system, that increases the size of pixels and has a new element lens, for brighter and more accurate images. The new iPhone 5s will also feature a champagne gold color, which seems to have created a buzz on the twitter feeds despite it leaking out almost 6 months ago. The new iPhone 5s also has the worlds first desktop level 64 bit architecture, making life for developers difficult initially, but opening them up to a whole new world or options for future apps.

[pullquote_left]The Touch ID may as well be the new revolution for the mobile industry[/pullquote_left]

What is a mobile industry first is the new Touch ID sensor, a fingerprint sensor on a smartphone is a new one alright. It opens up a whole new array of possibilities, even though Apple has not yet opened it up to developers.

The Touch ID replaces the lock code requirements and also password requirements for you iPhone, hopefully you can also use it to access the iPhone keychain to auto-magically enter passwords.

Apple also announced that iOS 7 will be officially available post September 18th 2013 for all those supported devices.

The iPhone 5C will be available fro Pre Order on September 13th whereas the iPhone 5S will go on Preorder September 20th 2013. starting $549 and $649 for the 16 GB unlocked variants.

September 11, 2013
Apple Celebrates iTunes 10th Anniversary With Timeline

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of iTunes, Apple has put together an entertaining multimedia timeline of the digital music store.

The iTunes’ formal birthday isn’t until Sunday, but the timeline, which is called “A Decade of iTunes,” is online now in the music section of the store.

The timeline marks the period from the time iTunes was first launched on April 28 2003 right up to the release of Justin Timberlake’s new album on March 19 this year. Peppered along with the milestones are the best selling song and album on the day of the milestone (for e.g. on 10 May 2005 when the iTunes store was officially launched in European countries like Denmarak, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland, ‘Speed of Sound’ from Coldplay’s X & Y was the best selling song, while Morcheeba’s ‘The Antidote’ was the best selling album).

“The sky was falling, and iTunes provided a place where we were going to monetize music and in theory stem the tide of piracy. So, it was certainly a solution for the time,” said Michael McDonald, who co-founded ATO Records with Dave Matthews and whose Mick Management roster includes John Mayer and Ray LaMontagne.

The iTunes music store became much more than a solution; it changed how we consume music and access entertainment. It’s not only music’s biggest retailer, it also dominates the digital video market, capturing 67 percent of the TV show sale market and 65 percent of the movie sale market, according to information company NPD group. Its apps are the most profitable, it has expanded to books and magazines, and it is now available in 119 countries. This week, iTunes posted a record $2.4 billion in revenue in first-quarter earnings.

The app store now reaches 90 percent of the world’s population, Oppenheimer said, and is available in 155 countries. There are now over 850,000 iOS apps in the store, 350,000 of which are tailored for iPad.

As of the second fiscal quarter of 2013, iTunes now offers 35 million songs in 119 countries, 60,000 movies in 109 countries and 1.7 million iBook titles.

Apple also said that payouts to app developers has reached $9 billion since the App Store initiative launched in 2008, and the company is currently meting out some $1 billion per quarter to app makers.

[LATimes]

April 25, 2013
Leaked : Twitter Music To Involve Spotify, Rdio, iTunes and More
By now, you may have heard that Twitter is launching it’s own music service tomorrow dubbed Twitter Music. Although some is known about the service, there is still a lot that is unknown. Fortunately for audiophiles, there has been some more information leaked about the new service.

As TheNextWeb reports, the latest information comes from the site’s code: designer Youssef Sarhan has discovered the service will have both a Web interface and a separate app, will offer streaming, as well as integrate with Spotify, Rdio, iTunes, Soundcloud, Vevo and YouTube.

Youssef followed the trail of source code that eventually led to this:

.iconmusic-spotify-connect-btn{background-position:-4431px -0px;height:32px;width:179px}

.iconmusic-player-source-rdio{background-position:-2801px -0px;height:19px;width:30px}

.iconmusic-player-source-itunes{background-position:-2751px -0px;height:19px;width:30px}

.iconmusic-player-source-soundcloud{background-position:- 2851px -0px;height:14px;width:92px}

.iconmusic-player-source-vevo{background-position:-2963px -0px;height:9px;width:53px}

.youtube-vid player{position:absolute;padding:10px;height:200px}

Other notable features include artist biographies, being able to compose tweets from the music app, follow other users, charts and shows, being able to buy songs, verified users, and search (TNW discovered these last two):
- .artist-bio
- .iconmusic-compose-tweet-btn-bg
- .iconmusic-profile-large-following-btn
- .iconmusic-menu-charts
- .iconmusic-menu-shows
- .iconmusic-player-btn-buy
- .iconmusic-verified-small
- .search-tooltip .iconmusic-btn-search-close
The following image gives us an idea regarding the UI of Twitter Music

This is what the player will look like, again referenced in the CSS for the page :

Are you anticipating Twitter Music? Is there one particular feature that you would like to see? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!

To read Youssef’s full findings, visit Sefsar.

[The Next Web, Gizmodo]
April 13, 2013
Apple Adds ‘In-App Purchase’ Warning In iTunes

Apple has made a subtle change to the App Store to make consumers more aware of apps that offer in-app purchases. Apple recently added a new “Offers In-App Purchases” warning directly underneath the download button in iTunes following the settlement (as pictured below).

Rather than continue to cash back to users, Apple has attempted to make perfectly clear which apps should be kept out of the reach of children if their folks aren’t savvy enough to password-protect purchases.

Just last week the iPhone-maker refunded the parents of an 8-year-old British boy who had blown £980 (US$1,493, AU$1,429) of very real cash on virtual donuts in the ‘free’ Simpsons: Tapped Out game.

It wasn’t the first time, either. Last month, the company agreed to pay out up to $100m (UK£66m, AUD$96m) in refunds to parents in the United States whose kids had also made unsanctioned in-app purchases.

The new “Offers In-App Purchases” warning is currently only visible within the desktop version of the iTunes App Store; but we would expect that to be rolled out across the iPhone and iPad versions of the store very soon.

The new warning will still not prevent careless parents from allowing their children access to their passwords and running up huge bills but it will give Apple a better legal argument. Also it may be a sign that Apple could offer the ability to filter apps from the App Store that contain in-app purchases; this could be a good option for parents that give their children access to their iTunes password to download free apps.

Making it clearer which apps use IAP is a step in the right direction on the latter front. More may follow at Apple’s WWDC developer event this summer, when the company is expected to unveil its iOS 7 software.

March 23, 2013
Apple iTunes gets upped to version 11, Not so Much-Awaited after all

If you just hit the software button like us, you have been in an encounter with the an update of iTunes that pushes the number to iTunes 11. The desktop variant download includes a new MiniPlayer for playing tracks in a widget-sized window. The whole app now is remenicient of the iPad music player app (iPod) , an “Up Next” feature for cueing up songs and viewing what’s next at a glance, and instant recommendations depending on your music tastes.

iTunes 11 also has active memory and will remember where you left off while playing a song, movie or TV shows if you get interrupted.

iCloud integration will allow you to play back your library on any device, while an offline option should allow in-flight or underground listening sessions to continue without a hitch.

iTunes 11 is available as a Software Update for existing users, and a fresh install from the Apple website.

November 30, 2012
Apple redesigns iTunes for Mac, Windows and iOS devices (PR)

Apple has redesigned iTunes from the ground up, calling it dramatically simpler, Apple has showcased new features that will make the most popular media player a bit more special. The new iTunes comes with a carousel on the top paired with a flattened grid of icons below.

The desktop version also sports a new mini player, which now boasts search functionality while staying decidedly minimalistic, and a new “Up Next” feature lets you cue up songs and see what’s coming at a glance.

New iCloud support puts all of your iTunes purchases in the cloud to be accessed from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC or Apple TV. The new iTunes features seamless integration with iCloud, which automatically puts all of your purchases into your library on your Mac or PC, regardless of which device you used to make the purchase. iCloud also remembers where you are in your favourite movies or TV shows no matter which device you’re viewing on.

[toggle_box title=”Press Release” width=”Width of toggle box”]

SAN FRANCISCO—September 12, 2012—Apple today announced the new iTunes for Mac and PC featuring a completely redesigned player, seamless integration with iCloud, and a stunning new look for the world’s most popular online music, apps, TV and movie stores. The new iTunes is coming in October and will feature a dramatically simpler and cleaner interface that keeps your favourite iTunes content at the forefront. With iCloud integration, your music, movie and TV purchases made on any of your iOS devices or computers is conveniently displayed in your iTunes library on your Mac or PC, available anytime you want them. The redesigned iTunes Store, App Store and iBookstore have been rethought to make buying your favourite content on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC simpler than ever.

“We created iTunes because we love music and we’re going back to our roots with an incredibly clean design that keeps your music at the forefront,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “The new iTunes works seamlessly with iCloud, always keeping your entire library at your fingertips, and we’re adding great new features that make listening to your music more fun.”

The redesigned iTunes features a full-window interface on your Mac or PC that’s simpler and cleaner, always keeping your favourite content in front of you. The new library view makes it easier to view your music, TV shows and movies, allowing you to click on the category of content you want to browse and that’s all you will see. The expandable album view allows you to see track listings for an individual album, while letting you continue to browse your music library. The new search feature searches across your entire iTunes library, including music, movies and TV shows. The re-imagined MiniPlayer makes it easy to control your music with a small tool bar, you can skip to the next song or search for something new to play—all without having to open your library. Up Next is a fun new way to see what songs are coming up and queue songs or albums you want to hear next.

With iCloud, all of your iTunes purchases are in the cloud and can be accessed from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC or Apple TV. The new iTunes features seamless integration with iCloud, which automatically puts all of your purchases into your library on your Mac or PC, regardless of which device you used to make the purchase. iCloud also remembers where you are in your favourite movies or TV shows no matter which device you’re viewing on.

The redesigned iTunes Store, App Store and iBookstore feature a clean design that makes shopping easier and more fun. Featured content is showcased right at the top and easy-to-browse shelves serve up popular music, movies and TV show choices. You also have a preview history that shows you all of the music, movies and TV shows you’ve sampled. iCloud keeps your preview history across all of your devices. Additionally, users can preview 90 second clips of songs while continuing to browse the store.

The new iTunes will be available in October as a free download at www.itunes.com.

The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, app, TV and movie store with a catalogue of over 26 million songs, over 700,000 apps, over 190,000 TV episodes and over 45,000 films. The iTunes Store is the best way for iOS, Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online. iTunes is the world’s most popular media player for Mac and PC.*

*Content varies by Country.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

[/toggle_box]

September 13, 2012
Chrome No. 1 free app on iTunes

Chrome for iOS features tab-syncing and incognito mode.

Within days of it being announced for Apple’s iOS, Google Chrome rocketed to the top by becoming the no. 1 free app on the iTunes app store.

It’s getting decent reviews from users who so far have cumulatively ranked it at 4.5 stars, although the biggest complaint they seem to have is the browser is slow compared with Apple’s Safari which is due to the fact that Apple restricts the use of its Nitro JavaScript engine to Safari and other apps don’t have access to it.

We will be coming out with the Chrome’s review soon, stay tuned.

July 2, 2012
Apple Brings iTunes to Hong Kong, Singapore and 10 others in Asia, India left Out!

Apple has finally started to branch out into what is a major chunk of their earning region. Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam are among the dozen new countries where Apple has just launched their iTunes store for music and movies. Other countries include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand. If you are asking then the answer is no, India was not included.

The company has left out India from the mix, possibly in comparison to the number of account holders. Hopefully, they can roll out the store in the coming months.

[Apple]

June 27, 2012
Apple App Store gets 650,000 apps, $5 Billion payed to Devs

Apple’s WWDC Event has just kicked off and Tim Cook has just announced that the Apple App Store has hit 650,000 apps and over $5 billion have been payed out to App Developers. 225,000 of these apps are specific to the iPad. Customers have downloaded 30 billion of the apps since they became an option four years ago.

Apple also wants its developers to know that they are taken care of.

More developing ….

June 11, 2012