Last week, we reported on a hint that Apple may be breaking up iTunes, and now that possibility is looking even more likely. The first hint came from developer Steve Troughton-Smith, and now those claims have been confirmed by another source, Guilherme Rambo for 9to5Mac.
Rambo confirmed that Apple would be making some changes in macOS to split some of the functionality of iTunes into distinct apps. These alterations would likely come in macOS 10.15.
A sensible break-up
For years, iTunes has been growing to encompass more and more functionality, with podcasts, videos, apps, and management of iPhones, iPads and iPods handled within the program. This has seen the software bloat, and it's further hindered by it's old-fashioned style.
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Apple already announced it was working on a standalone Apple TV app for Mac, and Rambo has suggested there will be standalone apps for Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and Apple Books coming as well. He claims the podcast and music apps will be made using Apple's Marzipan technology, which allows for the easy translation of apps from the mobile iPad environment to the macOS environment. The Apple Books app may also see a redesign in macOS 10.15.
This split of iTunes makes sense, as it will give users clearer sources for their content: music from Apple Music, TV and movies from Apple TV, podcasts from Apple Podcasts, etc.
What remains unclear is the fate of iTunes once much of the content it is currently the home to is moved elsewhere.
