The big new functionality to me in itunes is AirPlay. This will wirelessly stream to AV gear and speakers from other manufacturers! That is insanely great.
Should be interesting if they build the receivers into car audio as well.. no more plugging in.
What's up with the UI? They seemed to have gotten rid of all color (everything is gray).
From the screen shots only (I haven't downloaded it yet) I actually kind of like the more muted coloring. What they seem to be doing is trying to de-emphasize the "chrome" of the app in favor of the content of the app. This, I think, is a very good move.
Quote:
Originally Posted by initiator
And, what's with the window buttons? They're now vertical on the left side? That just looks weird.
While definitely a departure from the standard so far to date...it actually makes more sense in terms of its analogy to a traffic signal.
This must be an 'ironic' post, right? Simplicity of use not as valuable as the mess that is the MS storefront?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaHarder
Ping.... Bing... Really?
It's good to see that Apple is finally adopting a few of the ZUNE Marketplace's social networking features, though admittedly, iTunes is looking in serious need of an aesthetic makeover, especially when compared to the elegance of MS' Zune Marketplace.
why it's still called iTunes is beyond me. it's music, movies, podcasts, tv shows, books, apps and [shudder] ringtones.
While other posters have addressed the whole brand identity/recognition issue (though I think if any company has the balls to take such bold risk as renaming something if they think they need to)...one thing that surprises me a bit is that the icon redesign didn't take into consideration the multiple facets of "iTunes" (e.g., books, videos, games, etc.)
Designing a new icon with these things factored in might have been the first baby step toward re-branding/renaming iTunes. Apple tends to do these things in very carefully planned baby steps all the while acting like "Oh we just thought about doing this."
I would like to follow App developers, Book Authors, etc, on Ping and see what Apps/Books/Music my friends are downloading too. Why only music? Are music sales down? Or will they release a social network named Pong for everything else?
why it's still called iTunes is beyond me. it's music, movies, podcasts, tv shows, books, apps and [shudder] ringtones.
iTunes is already deeply embedded in people's minds, why mess with it unnecessarily? NCR stands for National Cash Register, AT&T for American Telephone & Telegraph. In the end the words in a a brandname itself lose their meaning. It's the association people make in their minds that count.
The last company who changed an established brand name for no good business reason was Nissan when they dropped 'Datsun' in the U.S. That was a bonehead decision which took years to recover from the sales hit.
iTunes is already deeply embedded in people's minds, why mess with it unnecessarily?
I actually think this is a real dilemma for Apple and I suspect they may be trying to find some way to address it in the future. Here's my totally wild-ass prediction:
Let's zoom out and take a look at iPhoto and iTunes (particularly original music-only iTunes) side-by-side. These are basically the same app targeted at different media (pictures vs. music).
However, iTunes became the main conduit for syncing with your iDevices so they felt they had to continue bolting all sorts of non-music things onto the side of iTunes. The Rube Goldberg-ness of this is starting to show.
iPhoto content is also synced with your iDevices but through iTunes.
Apple quietly made a move a while back to completely restructure the underlying organization of the iTunes folder/file structure into the new "iTunes media format" organizing things along their types.
It's all a bit of an inelegant mess.
But what if Apple did this:
- break apart iTunes into its component parts along media lines (e.g. iGames, iApps, iBooks, iVideos, iTunes, iPhoto)
- create a new centralized "home base" application that "contains" all of these "sub-applications" and handles the syncing centrally but allows you to click off to a sub-application to deal with the specific media/content type you need to deal with at that moment.
I actually think they may already be doing this sort of quietly, in baby steps within iTunes. The next major step is really just a UI restructure where "iTunes becomes a part of this larger umbrella application.
It's just a wild-ass guess. But I suspect they will need to address a major refactoring soon. This would also likely coincide with a store refactoring too. Once you break iTunes into its separate "apps" it becomes easier to present the different sections of the store as well (e.g., iBooks presents you the book store, iTunes presents you the music store, iApps the app store, etc.)
The Red, Amber, Green of the Apple menu beads behave nothing like traffic lights.
I didn't say they do. \ They appear to have been an analogy (perhaps a poor or weak one) to a traffic signal. Visually speaking anyway.
Furthermore, the behavioral mapping isn't that much of a stretch. It might not be great (and that has been debated endlessly) but it also isn't entirely ridiculous.
It's good to see that Apple is finally adopting a few of the ZUNE Marketplace's social networking features, though admittedly, iTunes is looking in serious need of an aesthetic makeover, especially when compared to the elegance of MS' Zune Marketplace.
I didn't say they do. \ They appear to have been an analogy (perhaps a poor or weak one) to a traffic signal. Visually speaking anyway.
Furthermore, the behavioral mapping isn't that much of a stretch. It might not be great (and that has been debated endlessly) but it also isn't entirely ridiculous.
"Appear"... What does that mean?
An analogy is an illustrative way to accurately explain a concept. The world knows what Red/Amber/Green means. Apples' analogy is nothing like the internationally recognised behaviour applicable to traffic lights. It's a tragic mess.
The behavioural mapping is not remotely a stretch from traffic light indicators, it's a bloody universe apart (the universe Steve Jobs inhabits).
iTunes has ballooned like a malignant tumour and lives apart from its host. Like Steve Jobs' liver, it needs to be transplanted.
\ Look, I'm not really looking for a UI debate. But...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bloodshotrollin'red
"Appear"... What does that mean?
It means looks like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bloodshotrollin'red
An analogy is an illustrative way to accurately explain a concept. The world knows what Red/Amber/Green means. Apples' analogy is nothing like the internationally recognised behaviour applicable to traffic lights. It's a tragic mess.
The behavioural mapping is not remotely a stretch from traffic light indicators, it's a bloody universe apart (the universe Steve Jobs inhabits).
iTunes has ballooned like a malignant tumour and lives apart from its host. Like Steve Jobs' liver, it needs to be transplanted.
The last company who changed an established brand name for no good business reason was Nissan when they dropped 'Datsun' in the U.S. That was a bonehead decision which took years to recover from the sales hit.
They dropped the usage world wide. And they had a good reason for the name change.
- create a new centralized "home base" application that "contains" all of these "sub-applications" and handles the syncing centrally but allows you to click off to a sub-application to deal with the specific media/content type you need to deal with at that moment.
They could call that syncing application something like, iSync...
They could call that syncing application something like, iSync...
Oh, wait...
So I suspect maybe you're trying to be a smart ass. OK. Fine.
I thought about iSync. Perhaps iSync is the technological backbone for all of this. Who knows. I don't really care. But I don't think that's what the "umbrella" app I'm suggesting/predicting would be called at all. I have no idea what it could be called. Someone earlier suggested that something along the lines of "iLife" might make sense, but won't be used for obvious reasons. Maybe iMedia? I have no idea. Either way, what I was trying to sketch out is more than simply iSync...it is perhaps a launching "shell (and centralized syncing backbone) for a set of newly decomposed "sub-applications" (e..g., iTunes, iBooks, iApps, iGames, etc.)
This could be a totally dumb idea. I was just trying to think about how Apple could more carefully transition away from iTunes (as both an app and a brand) being the central and prominent hub of everything.
Comments
Who was that talentless pratt attempting to play piano at the end?
Coldplay.
Should be interesting if they build the receivers into car audio as well.. no more plugging in.
What's up with the UI? They seemed to have gotten rid of all color (everything is gray).
From the screen shots only (I haven't downloaded it yet) I actually kind of like the more muted coloring. What they seem to be doing is trying to de-emphasize the "chrome" of the app in favor of the content of the app. This, I think, is a very good move.
And, what's with the window buttons? They're now vertical on the left side? That just looks weird.
While definitely a departure from the standard so far to date...it actually makes more sense in terms of its analogy to a traffic signal.
Ping.... Bing... Really?
It's good to see that Apple is finally adopting a few of the ZUNE Marketplace's social networking features, though admittedly, iTunes is looking in serious need of an aesthetic makeover, especially when compared to the elegance of MS' Zune Marketplace.
why it's still called iTunes is beyond me. it's music, movies, podcasts, tv shows, books, apps and [shudder] ringtones.
While other posters have addressed the whole brand identity/recognition issue (though I think if any company has the balls to take such bold risk as renaming something if they think they need to)...one thing that surprises me a bit is that the icon redesign didn't take into consideration the multiple facets of "iTunes" (e.g., books, videos, games, etc.)
Designing a new icon with these things factored in might have been the first baby step toward re-branding/renaming iTunes. Apple tends to do these things in very carefully planned baby steps all the while acting like "Oh we just thought about doing this."
Or will they release a social network named Pong for everything else?
No, that's just the decomposing smell iTunes gives off.
While definitely a departure from the standard so far to date...it actually makes more sense in terms of its analogy to a traffic signal.
It also decreases the amount of space taken up by the top of the application, increasing the space for displayed albums, etc, slightly.
In fact, the application name is gone.
why it's still called iTunes is beyond me. it's music, movies, podcasts, tv shows, books, apps and [shudder] ringtones.
iTunes is already deeply embedded in people's minds, why mess with it unnecessarily? NCR stands for National Cash Register, AT&T for American Telephone & Telegraph. In the end the words in a a brandname itself lose their meaning. It's the association people make in their minds that count.
The last company who changed an established brand name for no good business reason was Nissan when they dropped 'Datsun' in the U.S. That was a bonehead decision which took years to recover from the sales hit.
I read that question not so long ago and saw a very good and simple answer:
It would be madness to switch to a new name from one that's so very established as a brand and so strongly recognized as one of Apples core products.
That's why the Big 10 is still the Big 10 when there's 11 and soon to be 12 schools in it
iTunes is already deeply embedded in people's minds, why mess with it unnecessarily?
I actually think this is a real dilemma for Apple and I suspect they may be trying to find some way to address it in the future. Here's my totally wild-ass prediction:
Let's zoom out and take a look at iPhoto and iTunes (particularly original music-only iTunes) side-by-side. These are basically the same app targeted at different media (pictures vs. music).
However, iTunes became the main conduit for syncing with your iDevices so they felt they had to continue bolting all sorts of non-music things onto the side of iTunes. The Rube Goldberg-ness of this is starting to show.
iPhoto content is also synced with your iDevices but through iTunes.
Apple quietly made a move a while back to completely restructure the underlying organization of the iTunes folder/file structure into the new "iTunes media format" organizing things along their types.
It's all a bit of an inelegant mess.
But what if Apple did this:
- break apart iTunes into its component parts along media lines (e.g. iGames, iApps, iBooks, iVideos, iTunes, iPhoto)
- create a new centralized "home base" application that "contains" all of these "sub-applications" and handles the syncing centrally but allows you to click off to a sub-application to deal with the specific media/content type you need to deal with at that moment.
I actually think they may already be doing this sort of quietly, in baby steps within iTunes. The next major step is really just a UI restructure where "iTunes becomes a part of this larger umbrella application.
It's just a wild-ass guess. But I suspect they will need to address a major refactoring soon. This would also likely coincide with a store refactoring too. Once you break iTunes into its separate "apps" it becomes easier to present the different sections of the store as well (e.g., iBooks presents you the book store, iTunes presents you the music store, iApps the app store, etc.)
While definitely a departure from the standard so far to date...it actually makes more sense in terms of its analogy to a traffic signal.
The Red, Amber, Green of the Apple menu beads behave nothing like traffic lights.
Apple beads:
Red = Vanish (to where?).
Amber = Vanish (to the bottom of the screen...) Then hunt for where it went.
Green = Expand or Collapse the Window (sometimes as each window behaves differently).
Traffic Lights:
Red = STOP
Amber = WAIT
Green = GO
Mac OS lost the plot a few years back and hasn't yet recovered. It's at the, er, Amber light of GUI design.
The Red, Amber, Green of the Apple menu beads behave nothing like traffic lights.
I didn't say they do.
Furthermore, the behavioral mapping isn't that much of a stretch. It might not be great (and that has been debated endlessly) but it also isn't entirely ridiculous.
Ping.... Bing... Really?
It's good to see that Apple is finally adopting a few of the ZUNE Marketplace's social networking features, though admittedly, iTunes is looking in serious need of an aesthetic makeover, especially when compared to the elegance of MS' Zune Marketplace.
The elegance of a ghost town.
I didn't say they do.
Furthermore, the behavioral mapping isn't that much of a stretch. It might not be great (and that has been debated endlessly) but it also isn't entirely ridiculous.
"Appear"... What does that mean?
An analogy is an illustrative way to accurately explain a concept. The world knows what Red/Amber/Green means. Apples' analogy is nothing like the internationally recognised behaviour applicable to traffic lights. It's a tragic mess.
The behavioural mapping is not remotely a stretch from traffic light indicators, it's a bloody universe apart (the universe Steve Jobs inhabits).
iTunes has ballooned like a malignant tumour and lives apart from its host. Like Steve Jobs' liver, it needs to be transplanted.
"Appear"... What does that mean?
It means looks like.
An analogy is an illustrative way to accurately explain a concept. The world knows what Red/Amber/Green means. Apples' analogy is nothing like the internationally recognised behaviour applicable to traffic lights. It's a tragic mess.
The behavioural mapping is not remotely a stretch from traffic light indicators, it's a bloody universe apart (the universe Steve Jobs inhabits).
iTunes has ballooned like a malignant tumour and lives apart from its host. Like Steve Jobs' liver, it needs to be transplanted.
OK
The last company who changed an established brand name for no good business reason was Nissan when they dropped 'Datsun' in the U.S. That was a bonehead decision which took years to recover from the sales hit.
They dropped the usage world wide. And they had a good reason for the name change.
- create a new centralized "home base" application that "contains" all of these "sub-applications" and handles the syncing centrally but allows you to click off to a sub-application to deal with the specific media/content type you need to deal with at that moment.
They could call that syncing application something like, iSync...
Oh, wait...
They could call that syncing application something like, iSync...
Oh, wait...
So I suspect maybe you're trying to be a smart ass. OK. Fine.
I thought about iSync. Perhaps iSync is the technological backbone for all of this. Who knows. I don't really care. But I don't think that's what the "umbrella" app I'm suggesting/predicting would be called at all. I have no idea what it could be called. Someone earlier suggested that something along the lines of "iLife" might make sense, but won't be used for obvious reasons. Maybe iMedia? I have no idea. Either way, what I was trying to sketch out is more than simply iSync...it is perhaps a launching "shell (and centralized syncing backbone) for a set of newly decomposed "sub-applications" (e..g., iTunes, iBooks, iApps, iGames, etc.)
This could be a totally dumb idea. I was just trying to think about how Apple could more carefully transition away from iTunes (as both an app and a brand) being the central and prominent hub of everything.