2012 Is The Year Apple Is Finally Going To Make iTunes Stop Sucking

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iTunes is set for the biggest change it has ever seen this year.
iTunes is set for the biggest change it has ever seen this year.

Apple is said to be preparing an iTunes overhaul that will deliver the largest change the online music store has seen since its debut back in 2003. Set to be unveiled by the end of this year, the refresh will reportedly bring better iCloud integration and file-storage for users with multiple iOS devices, as well as new features for sharing music with friends.

Bloomberg cites sources familiar with Apple’s plans who claim:

The company will more closely integrate its iCloud file- storage service with iTunes so users can more seamlessly access and manage their music, videos and downloaded software apps across different Apple gadgets, the people said. Apple also plans new features for sharing music, the people said.

Although its unclear exactly what those sharing plans will entail, you can be sure they will replace Ping, Apple’s social service that launched in September 2010, but is yet to gain any real popularity nearly two years later.

It’s also likely that the new sharing feature will take advantage of the upcoming Facebook and Twitter integration in OS X Mountain Lion, which allows users to send updates to their friends from within a number of Mac OS X applications.

The iCloud enhancements Apple is said to be planning are also a little unclear. Bloomberg’s sources claim, however, that the changes will aim to make it easier for users to organize their ever-expanding libraries of music, videos, apps, and photos.

Some of these things could be spun off into dedicated services, the report notes. We’ve already seen evidence of this is in Apple’s new Podcasts app, which separates podcasts from music and movies on iOS, and makes it easier to access and manage your favorite shows on your device.

One thing you shouldn’t expect, however, is a music streaming service that will rival the likes of Spotify or Rdio. Sources claim this is still unlikely, despite requests for an Apple streaming service from the music labels.

Source: Bloomberg

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