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Cape Town – Apple has announced that it is ending iTunes which it will be replaced with Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Podcasts.
iTunes that Apple launched in 2001 will survive on Windows platforms, with downloads for iTunes that will continue to be available in a sidebar on the Apple Music app for Macs.
Apple made the announcement at the Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Jose where America's technology giants unveil what their respective software plans and updates are for the upcoming year.
The demise of the iconic iTunes is primarily due to the rise in streaming services with seismic changes the past two decades for the global music industry, with Apple that is ending iTunes in favour of its three better apps already found on Apple's iPhones and iPads.
Consumers' current music purchases and music libraries won't disappear or be wiped out but will fold into each of the new Apple apps on Macs.
Unlike iTunes where Apple doesn't make money until a consumer buys a song or an album, Apple charges a monthly fee for the Apple Music app, ensuring more constant revenue as the video and music content industry globally is gearing up and expanding their efforts in digital subscription and streaming on-demand services.
"The future of iTunes is not one app, it's three – Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple TV," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, at WWDC 2019.
Apple plans to launch Apple TV+ internationally as its new streaming service with original shows and films later this year.
