In a significant move that marks the end of an era, Apple is steering Windows users towards a future without iTunes. This week, Apple officially released its trio of dedicated apps—Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices—on the Windows platform, a transition that began with a preview phase last year. These applications, developed in collaboration with Microsoft, aim to provide a seamless experience for Windows users engaged with Apple's ecosystem, signalling a departure from the all-in-one iTunes software.
The launch encompasses the Apple Music and Apple TV apps, which offer access to users' existing iTunes libraries, including song and album purchases for Apple Music and movies and TV shows for Apple TV. Additionally, the Apple TV app integrates subscription-based streaming content, enhancing the viewing experience for Windows users. The Apple Devices app introduces a dedicated space for managing iPhones and iPads, enabling users to backup, restore, and sync content across their devices directly from their PC.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to simplify and enrich the user experience by dividing the sprawling functionalities of iTunes into focused, standalone applications. The move aligns with similar changes previously introduced on macOS, where individual music, TV, and device management apps replaced iTunes.
Apple's collaboration with Microsoft has been pivotal in this transition, with Microsoft expressing its support for the new apps. This partnership has also led to integrating iCloud Photos into the Windows ecosystem, allowing users to directly access their iCloud Photos library through the Windows 11 Photos app, further blurring the lines between Apple and Microsoft's platforms.
However, the new suite of apps has its limitations; it is currently available only for x86-based PCs running Windows 10 or Windows 11. Users of ARM64 Windows devices powered by Qualcomm processors will have to wait, as no immediate plans have been announced to support these versions.
The updated iCloud for Windows app complements these changes, aiming to provide a more integrated and efficient cloud storage solution for Windows users. Together, these apps represent a strategic shift by Apple to enhance its services on Windows, moving away from the monolithic iTunes application towards a more modular and user-friendly approach. This reflects Apple's ongoing commitment to interoperability and caters to the evolving needs of its user base across platforms.