Apple releases iTunes 7.3.2, extends font deal with Microsoft

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Microsoft Corp. and Apple have renewed their font licensing agreement, giving Apple users ongoing use of the latest versions of core Windows fonts. Meanwhile, Apple has just released a minor update to iTunes.



iTunes 7.3.2



Apple on Thursday afternoon released iTunes 7.3.2. According to brief set of release notes, the update "provides bug fixes to improve stability and performance."



The software is available via Apple's Software Update mechanism, or as a 33.8MB download for Mac / 47.7MB download for Windows.



Font licensing



Apple and Microsoft have agreed to extend "the seamless Web and software experience" Apple users have enjoyed for years when using and viewing popular Microsoft fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial and Verdana.



"Apple customers, developers and Web designers can safely specify fonts knowing that their documents, presentations and web pages will appear as they are meant to be seen on screen and in print," the two companies said in a statement.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 46
    wallywally Posts: 211member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Apple and Microsoft have agreed to extend "the seamless Web and software experience" Apple users have enjoyed for years when using and viewing popular Microsoft fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial and Verdana.



    Wow. Mediocrity at its best. Just because Arial and Verdana are used more often (by default actually) - doesn't make them more popular. Arial is terrible and Times New Roman? Yawn.
  • Reply 2 of 46
    stubeckstubeck Posts: 140member
    Wonder if there will be an update tomorrow. Three so far this week.
  • Reply 3 of 46
    A "minor update" that is 33.8MB?
  • Reply 4 of 46
    filburtfilburt Posts: 398member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wally View Post


    Wow. Mediocrity at its best. Just because Arial and Verdana are used more often (by default actually) - doesn't make them more popular. Arial is terrible and Times New Roman? Yawn.



    These fonts are pretty lame (along with Verdana and other Microsoft contraptions) but they are very popular. Without them, websites and Windows Office files won't look right on the Mac. Hopefully, the deal extends to newer Microsoft fonts, such as Calibri (which is actually pretty good, IMO).
  • Reply 5 of 46
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Very interesting.
  • Reply 6 of 46
    age234age234 Posts: 27member
    Arial is the devil. Helvetica!
  • Reply 7 of 46
    msnlymsnly Posts: 378member
    I never use those fonts...
  • Reply 8 of 46
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    A "minor update" that is 33.8MB?



    Must be a major update then. Isn't this an indication of iPod/iMac model updates
  • Reply 9 of 46
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wally View Post


    Wow. Mediocrity at its best. Just because Arial and Verdana are used more often (by default actually) - doesn't make them more popular. Arial is terrible and Times New Roman? Yawn.



    I think it's quite funny. Arial and Verdana is next to unusable on Windows because of the stupid font rendering, but look much better in OS X:



    Everything seems to default to Lucida Grande on the Mac anyway?



    /Adrian
  • Reply 10 of 46
    aplnubaplnub Posts: 2,605member
    Yeah for font agreement.



    Now lets get on with the important stuff, hardware. Something is coming out soon, that is for sure. A point release on the horizon, a minor update that is nearly 34 mb in size, something smells funny...
  • Reply 11 of 46
    phlakephlake Posts: 91member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aplnub View Post


    Yeah for font agreement.



    Now lets get on with the important stuff, hardware. Something is coming out soon, that is for sure. A point release on the horizon, a minor update that is nearly 34 mb in size, something smells funny...



    Not to kill the excitement of a new hardware release, but aren't all iTunes updates about that size? I think you just download a new copy each time, rather than patching an old one.
  • Reply 12 of 46
    dentondenton Posts: 725member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wally View Post


    Wow. Mediocrity at its best. Just because Arial and Verdana are used more often (by default actually) - doesn't make them more popular. Arial is terrible and Times New Roman? Yawn.



    "popular" has two main meanings: "liked" and "common" are both synonyms of "popular." So, yes, Arial is popular.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Zandros View Post


    I think it's quite funny. Arial and Verdana is next to unusable on Windows because of the stupid font rendering, but look much better in OS X:



    What's so wrong with Arial? It's my default for composing mail, and while I generally like the formal look of Times better for documents, "Arial is ... unusable" is far from my characterisation of the font.



    ----



    Whatever the case for one's font preferences, having access to all common fonts on any system is a good thing.
  • Reply 13 of 46
    slewisslewis Posts: 2,081member
    Null.
  • Reply 14 of 46
    murphywebmurphyweb Posts: 295member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Wally View Post


    Wow. Mediocrity at its best. Just because Arial and Verdana are used more often (by default actually) - doesn't make them more popular. Arial is terrible and Times New Roman? Yawn.



    Business is the key here though, most businesses have standardised on Ariel font so it is indeed by far and away the most popular font out there and that is unlikely to change. In a time where Mac is making a comeback and being thought of potentially as a business machine then not supporting the standard fonts would not be viewed as a smart move.
  • Reply 15 of 46
    cpt kcpt k Posts: 33member
    When browsing TV shows I am seeing double or triple of each show!



    Tried restarting too.
  • Reply 16 of 46
    eaieai Posts: 417member
    Arial is a cheap rip off of Helvetica - a much nicer a font!
  • Reply 17 of 46
    morrismorris Posts: 25member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by age234 View Post


    Arial is the devil. Helvetica!



    Helvetica is boring! Typical, a font named after the Swiss, that has to be the most bland, decent, responsible and boring option.



    Still in love with Univers
  • Reply 18 of 46
    eaieai Posts: 417member
    Gill Sans is my favorite font I think



  • Reply 19 of 46
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    So what are the experiences with this iTunes update?
  • Reply 20 of 46
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Sounds like a bunch of graphic design people bickering. OK, there's a difference but not something to get worked up about, though the italics in Gill Sans is a bit odd in my opinion.
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