Streamlined Access: Apple iTunes for Windows, Exclusively for Audiobooks and Podcasts
Introducing Apple’s Latest Windows Offerings: Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices have officially landed on the Windows platform. This unveiling comes after a preview of these standalone apps by the Cupertino-based tech giant back in January 2023. Now, after a year of rigorous testing, these apps have shed their Preview tags, inviting users to experience their full capabilities on their PCs. The motivation behind this move appears to be Apple’s endeavor to streamline user experience and reduce reliance on iTunes, which previously served as a consolidated hub for these functionalities, barring the streaming services.
Apple’s Support page now elucidates that users with Windows 10 or later can seamlessly access these dedicated apps. Apple Music empowers users to manage their iTunes library, access previous iTunes purchases, and dive into Apple’s expansive streaming service.
Likewise, Apple TV provides a gateway to a plethora of entertainment options, including movies, documentaries, and TV series from the iTunes library, alongside the sought-after Apple TV+ streaming service. Meanwhile, Apple Devices facilitates seamless device management, encompassing updates, backups, restores, and content syncing for iPhone and iPad users.
These Apple apps for Windows are tailored to support x86-based PCs running on either Windows 10 or Windows 11. However, for those not meeting these system requirements, iTunes remains a viable option. Additionally, users are advised to download all three dedicated apps, as opting for just one or two will prompt a reminder to complete the trio.
Following the installation of all apps, iTunes will transition to serving audiobooks and podcasts exclusively. It’s worth noting that Apple urges users not to delete their iTunes app, as both Apple Music and Apple TV apps seamlessly integrate with the existing iTunes library, ensuring a seamless transition for users.
As per reports, Apple decided to split iTunes to mirror how the apps work on Mac. The dedicated apps also offer a more streamlined interface and recently added features that might be missing in the older app. Further, this also allows the tech giant to expand its streaming services to Windows users.
Separately, Apple researchers recently released an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered image editing tool called MGIE (MLLM Guided Image Editing), which is capable of editing images using simple text prompts. As per the preprint paper, it is capable of making Photoshop-style edits, global optimisation, and local edits.