Apple is not deleting your iTunes or movie purchases, and it isn't getting out of media sa...

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2019
It's true that Apple likes the Apple Music streaming service, and it is true that it's breaking up iTunes into separate apps. Nothing else you've heard is true, in particular the rumors that Apple is getting out of media sales are completely bogus -- and you're not going to lose anything with macOS Catalina because Apple wants it gone.




This is not the "end of iTunes" like television news hosts and other venues have breathlessly exclaimed. It is not the end of an era with Apple abandoning selling you music, film and TV. And it is most definitely not the end for all those tracks you've bought.

Apple ditching the iTunes Store and deleting all your purchases makes for a great story, but it is baseless and deliberate scaremongering.

Today you can open iTunes on your Mac and play music, films, TV and so on. You can also download and buy more of it all, and then later you can re-download it if you want.

You will of course still be able to buy tracks in the new Music app
You will of course still be able to buy tracks in the new Music app


Tomorrow, or whenever you move to macOS Catalina, the only bit of this that in will be in any way different is that you'll be opening a different app, and the files will be in a slightly different location.

You'll be opening the new Music, Podcasts or TV apps and that's it. Carry on exactly as you did, and keep buying or renting or streaming new media.

Valid concerns

We don't know everything about how macOS Catalina will work with these apps, though really we know so much that there are just little details we're waiting to see.

We are also curious to find out what Apple does after this. The company keeps speaking of this trio of Mac apps -- Music, Podcasts, and TV -- but there's also already a Books app where you'd imagine audiobooks would go nicely.

Then, too, the TV app is about video. But there Apple isn't making a confusing simplification, not completely. Today there are film and TV awards committees around the world who are struggling to define what the difference is now that Netflix does single dramas that it may or may not put into cinemas.

Nonetheless, it is going to take us a time to get used to the new apps and where everything we have is. Speaking of which, though, if you're used to looking in Finder for your iTunes Media Folder, like we alluded to a few paragraphs above here, you'll just be looking for a different name.

The iTunes Media Folder is gone, long live the likes of Music and Movies folders instead
The iTunes Media Folder is gone, long live the likes of Music and Movies folders instead


Yet everything we have is still going to be there and it will mostly be in exactly the place you expect. The new Music app is going to be particularly welcome as it so resembles the Music app on iOS, for instance.

And if you're used to watching movies on an Apple TV, the newly redesigned TV app is going to look pretty familiar too.

You'll still be able to watch all your previously purchased movies. There are films that aren't Star Trek, by the way, and you can buy them in the TV app
You'll still be able to watch all your previously purchased movies. There are films that aren't Star Trek, by the way, and you can buy them in the TV app


And stirring up fear in people that they've spent money on digital items that are going to be removed is plain wrong.

Apple's Home Sharing isn't gone either. It's just been moved in macOS Catalina. Instead of it being in iTunes, it is now a checkbox in the Sharing preferences pane. And, the "Computers" app is still in tvOS 13.

We're not even losing the ability to share media around our devices
We're not even losing the ability to share media around our devices


CD ripping remains as well, assuming you still have an optical drive.




All of this is just the latest anti-Apple and anti-iTunes story, the latest in a long line of them throughout the years. Up to this week, the criticism has been that iTunes is too big, too bloated, too confusing. Apple was legitimately criticized for not fixing this issue, but now it has -- and immediately it's being criticized instead for the fear of doing something that it isn't doing.
fastasleeplolliver
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 36
    AF_HittAF_Hitt Posts: 143member
    Thank you for this article, and I hope people actually read the contents of it. I have already gotten fed up with all the comments on multiple forums hating on Apple for "killing" their custom libraries, getting rid of the store, getting rid of home sharing, etc. Any excuse to hate on Apple, I guess.
    chasmlolliverclaire11983watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 36
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    Any word on what's happening with iTunes for Windows?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 36
    DAalsethDAalseth Posts: 2,783member
    THANK YOU. Best news all day. The BBC was saying for most of yesterday that Apple was killing iTunes and the replacement Apps were streaming only. No more sales. It was very unnerving.
    chasmwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 36
    AF_HittAF_Hitt Posts: 143member
    mike1 said:
    Any word on what's happening with iTunes for Windows?
    iTunes for Windows is remaining unchanged for now, and will operate as it has. No words on if that might change in the future, but that’s the near term fate of it.
    chasmlolliverclaire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 36
    cmd-zcmd-z Posts: 69member
    As long as smart playlists, playlist folders, and song ratings are preserved, I'm good with this change.
    bigpicschasm[Deleted User]watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 36
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    cmd-z said:
    As long as smart playlists, playlist folders, and song ratings are preserved, I'm good with this change.
    So far so good. Ours have been retained.
    bigpicscmd-zfastasleeplolliverclaire1[Deleted User]watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 36

    ...

    Valid concerns

    We don't know everything about how macOS Catalina will work with these apps, though really we know so much that there are just little details we're waiting to see.

    We are also curious to find out what Apple does after this. The company keeps speaking of this trio of Mac apps -- Music, Podcasts, and TV -- but there's also already a Books app where you'd imagine audiobooks would go nicely.

    Then, too, the TV app is about video. But there Apple isn't making a confusing simplification, not completely. Today there are film and TV awards committees around the world who are struggling to define what the difference is now that Netflix does single dramas that it may or may not put into cinemas.

    ...
    I thought about these media categories as well, considering that what I watch isn't necessarily a full TV show or a movie (e.g. YouTube or Vimeo clips). Plus, although the TV app now integrates more sources of "video" content, there are still a bunch of apps for other content, at least in iOS. For reading, not only is there the Books app, but there is News, and additional separate news/magazine apps outside of this.

    The way I organized these iOS apps into categories was to create a few folders named "Read" "Listen" and "Watch". Later I added a "Sports" folder. With the Mac, it should be simpler since I don't have a big media library--content will mostly be from the new Apple apps or the web. I may have to go with VLC or similar for playback of local files that are not in an Apple compatible format.


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 36
    mike1mike1 Posts: 3,275member
    AF_Hitt said:
    mike1 said:
    Any word on what's happening with iTunes for Windows?
    iTunes for Windows is remaining unchanged for now, and will operate as it has. No words on if that might change in the future, but that’s the near term fate of it.
    Cool. Thanks.
    lolliverclaire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 36
    bigpicsbigpics Posts: 1,397member
    I've been more critical of Apple of late than laudatory (for various reasons starting with the state of the notebook line), but here  I feel they're doing much better than what's happening with many (actually) shuttered Google services.

    The one that's going to hurt me most is Music - because I took the time to upload over 9,000 tracks (not all of which I have elsewhere anymore), create playlists, etc. And I can't imagine they're not going to mess all of that up when we're left with the (quite inadequate) YouTube Music..... ...i.e., I expect to lose many cuts not in anyone's catalog and certainly my lists of favorites and other playlists.
  • Reply 10 of 36
    stompystompy Posts: 408member
    I could blame Apple for not reassuring everyone that their music won't disappear, but the non-tech media really botched the reporting on this one. Mind bogglingly bad.

    It took no time at all for the craziness to spread everywhere. My daughter texted me this morning asking if iTunes was shutting down.  :#
    chasmclaire1watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 36
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,275member
    bigpics said:
    The one that's going to hurt me most is Music - because I took the time to upload over 9,000 tracks (not all of which I have elsewhere anymore), create playlists, etc. And I can't imagine they're not going to mess all of that up when we're left with the (quite inadequate) YouTube Music..... ...i.e., I expect to lose many cuts not in anyone's catalog and certainly my lists of favorites and other playlists.
    Did you actually read the article before commenting?

    You’re not going to lose ANYTHING in Music. Not your ripped stuff, not your downloaded stuff, not your custom playlists, not your iTunes Match ... NOTHING.

    And FFS take the time to make a backup of your tracks if you’re so concerned.
    StrangeDaysroundaboutnowJFC_PAwatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 36
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    bigpics said:
    I've been more critical of Apple of late than laudatory (for various reasons starting with the state of the notebook line), but here  I feel they're doing much better than what's happening with many (actually) shuttered Google services.

    The one that's going to hurt me most is Music - because I took the time to upload over 9,000 tracks (not all of which I have elsewhere anymore), create playlists, etc. And I can't imagine they're not going to mess all of that up when we're left with the (quite inadequate) YouTube Music..... ...i.e., I expect to lose many cuts not in anyone's catalog and certainly my lists of favorites and other playlists.
    The title font not big enough for you?
    StrangeDaysroundaboutnowfastasleepJFC_PAjohn.bwatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 36
    Will Music Videos be managed by Music or TV or either....?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 36
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    DAalseth said:
    THANK YOU. Best news all day. The BBC was saying for most of yesterday that Apple was killing iTunes and the replacement Apps were streaming only. No more sales. It was very unnerving.
    LA Times announced the death of the iTunes Store as well. Apparently nobody pays for editors or fact checkers anymore. 
    stompywatto_cobra
  • Reply 15 of 36
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    cmd-z said:
    As long as smart playlists, playlist folders, and song ratings are preserved, I'm good with this change.
    So far so good. Ours have been retained.
    This is encouraging. Where’d the iOS device management stuff move to? Think I missed that part. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 36
    lolliverlolliver Posts: 493member
    chasm said:
    bigpics said:
    The one that's going to hurt me most is Music - because I took the time to upload over 9,000 tracks (not all of which I have elsewhere anymore), create playlists, etc. And I can't imagine they're not going to mess all of that up when we're left with the (quite inadequate) YouTube Music..... ...i.e., I expect to lose many cuts not in anyone's catalog and certainly my lists of favorites and other playlists.
    Did you actually read the article before commenting?

    You’re not going to lose ANYTHING in Music. Not your ripped stuff, not your downloaded stuff, not your custom playlists, not your iTunes Match ... NOTHING.

    And FFS take the time to make a backup of your tracks if you’re so concerned.
    They were actually talking about their google service moving to youtube music, not the change to ITunes. I almost made the same conclusion as you though chasm as it wasn't very clear, especially in the context of the article being about iTunes and Apple Music, not google's services. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 36
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    cmd-z said:
    As long as smart playlists, playlist folders, and song ratings are preserved, I'm good with this change.
    So far so good. Ours have been retained.
    This is encouraging. Where’d the iOS device management stuff move to? Think I missed that part. 
    The Finder itself. We'll be talking more about this tomorrow.
    fastasleeplolliverclaire1john.bwatto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 36
    As long as they're trying to go back to basics, how about undoing some of the awful design decisions they've made over the last few years, like the absolutely useless playlist thumbnails? They suck up so much vertical space, show no useful detail and in some cases don't even use the artwork from the right playlist.
  • Reply 19 of 36
    What about app management - in corporate settings, where people are currently using v12.6.5.3?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 36
    AppleExposedAppleExposed Posts: 1,805unconfirmed, member
    Thanks for the article.


    ...

    Valid concerns

    We don't know everything about how macOS Catalina will work with these apps, though really we know so much that there are just little details we're waiting to see.

    We are also curious to find out what Apple does after this. The company keeps speaking of this trio of Mac apps -- Music, Podcasts, and TV -- but there's also already a Books app where you'd imagine audiobooks would go nicely.

    Then, too, the TV app is about video. But there Apple isn't making a confusing simplification, not completely. Today there are film and TV awards committees around the world who are struggling to define what the difference is now that Netflix does single dramas that it may or may not put into cinemas.

    ...
    I thought about these media categories as well, considering that what I watch isn't necessarily a full TV show or a movie (e.g. YouTube or Vimeo clips). Plus, although the TV app now integrates more sources of "video" content, there are still a bunch of apps for other content, at least in iOS. For reading, not only is there the Books app, but there is News, and additional separate news/magazine apps outside of this.

    The way I organized these iOS apps into categories was to create a few folders named "Read" "Listen" and "Watch". Later I added a "Sports" folder. With the Mac, it should be simpler since I don't have a big media library--content will mostly be from the new Apple apps or the web. I may have to go with VLC or similar for playback of local files that are not in an Apple compatible format.



    What irks me is Podcasts having their own app. Audio should stay together.

    Also most podcasters often say "subscribe on iTunes" etc. Kind of a slap on the face.
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