iTunes for Microsoft Store Delayed to 2018

At Build earlier this year, Microsoft announced that the software giant is working with Apple to bring iTunes to the Microsoft Store. The app was supposed to launch on the Microsoft Store later this year, but there hasn’t been any word regarding the launch ever since the initial announcement. In fact, both the companies–especially Apple–have been quite tight-lipped about this thing.

Today, Apple is finally clearing things up. The company has confirmed that it won’t be releasing iTunes on the Microsoft Store later this year and that it still needs a “little more time” to get things ready. “We have been working with Microsoft to deliver the full iTunes experience to our customers and we need a little more time to get it right,” an Apple spokesperson told Mary Jo Foley. Cupertino declined to disclose the exact reason behind the delay.

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Apple Music is a core part of the iTunes app for Windows, and with Groove Music Pass set to completely shutdown later this year, launching the app before Christmas would possibly work out well for both the companies. Microsoft did, however, partner with Spotify to transfer Groove Music Pass subscribers, which means it’s possible Apple isn’t too happy with Microsoft’s move. Or maybe it’s just a hard computer science problem.

Plus, Apple is only bringing the existing iTunes app for Windows to the Microsoft Store using Microsoft’s Desktop App Bridge, so it’s not too clear as to why the company is taking outrageously long to release the app.

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  • Demileto

    15 December, 2017 - 2:56 pm

    <p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Apple is only bringing the existing iTunes app for Windows to the Microsoft Store using Microsoft’s Desktop App Bridge"</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Have they clearly stated that somewhere? Don't get me wrong, it most likely is the case, but to my knowledge we didn't get an official stance on this. </span></p>

    • Mehedi Hassan

      Premium Member
      15 December, 2017 - 3:02 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228034"><em>In reply to Demileto:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>If Apple actually made a native UWP app, Microsoft would make a REALLY BIG deal out of it. </p>

      • Demileto

        15 December, 2017 - 3:10 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#228036"><em>In reply to Mehedi:</em></a></blockquote><p>Even so, I don't think it's a good idea to portray an assumption, however credible it may be – and it's a very credible one, mind you -, as a truth.</p>

      • SvenJ

        15 December, 2017 - 8:55 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#228036"><em>In reply to Mehedi:</em></a> Maybe they have finally someone that knows better than announcing it ahead of time, lest it doesn't happen.</blockquote><p><br></p>

    • Matt Lohr

      16 December, 2017 - 7:34 am

      <blockquote><a href="#228034"><em>In reply to Demileto:</em></a></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I like that Thurrott.com is distinguishing between news and opinion, but news should not be speculative or opinionated. "…the company is taking outrageously long…"</span></p>

  • lvthunder

    Premium Member
    15 December, 2017 - 2:59 pm

    <p>Remember iTunes installs device drivers for all the old iPods (like I still use) and all the iOS devices. I'm guessing the hangup is there.</p>

  • Aaron44126

    15 December, 2017 - 3:08 pm

    <p>iTunes *is* a bit more complicated than just an app… It includes system drivers (for connectivity to the iPhone and iPad, for syncing and backup). I wonder how that works with the desktop app bridge, are those easy to package in?</p>

    • Waethorn

      15 December, 2017 - 5:46 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228038"><em>In reply to Aaron44126:</em></a></blockquote><p>Even with the drivers stripped out, Centennial crashes while trying to sequence the app.</p>

    • RobertJasiek

      15 December, 2017 - 9:47 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228038"><em>In reply to Aaron44126:</em></a></blockquote><p>iTunes does not just include one system driver but also installs three Windows services so that it can better behave as malware when connecting to the internet by itself with system rights, unless prohibited by administration deactivating these Windows services whenever online.</p>

      • Waethorn

        16 December, 2017 - 1:41 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#228136"><em>In reply to RobertJasiek:</em></a></blockquote><p>You have Bonjour and Apple Software Update services as well as a launcher for iTunes for when you plug your device in (Windows doesn't allow this natively because it's akin to launching autoplay software from a USB drive – which could include malware).</p>

  • MikeGalos

    15 December, 2017 - 3:39 pm

    <p>Gee, it couldn't possibly be Apple delaying doing something that would benefit a competitor while making a meaningless announcement that makes them look good. Either that or the few days work of repackaging an existing application and updating an installer is beyond the programmers they have left.</p>

    • pecosbob04

      15 December, 2017 - 5:24 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228041"><em>In reply to MikeGalos:</em></a></blockquote><p>Get a life.</p>

    • Stooks

      15 December, 2017 - 5:37 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228041"><em>In reply to MikeGalos:</em></a></blockquote><p>Honestly I can't see how Apple and Microsoft really even compete these days? I don't think Apple ever thinks about Microsoft and what they are doing anymore. Apple is consumer and Microsoft is Enterprise for the most part. Minor overlap but neither threaten each other in those overlap areas.</p><p><br></p><p>Apple has very limited support for Windows users these days. As more and more people move to mobile devices, none of which are Microsoft devices and the cloud the less Apple needs to support Windows.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

    • PincasX

      16 December, 2017 - 9:50 am

      <blockquote><a href="#228041"><em>In reply to MikeGalos:</em></a></blockquote><p>Conspiracy! Conspiracy I say!!!! </p>

  • NT6.1

    15 December, 2017 - 3:39 pm

    <p>Why Microsoft is <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">insisting in this failed UWP platform?</span></p>

    • Stooks

      15 December, 2017 - 4:25 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228042"><em>In reply to NT6.1:</em></a></blockquote><p>100% agree. Changing directions yet again would just be a complete joke at this point. Not sure which direction is a worse decision.</p>

  • michaelpatricehuber

    Premium Member
    15 December, 2017 - 4:02 pm

    <p>This does not help the narrative that using the Desktop App Bridge is super easy….</p>

  • Stooks

    15 December, 2017 - 4:15 pm

    <p>They are waiting for Microsoft to rename the store again. Say Microsoft 365 Store?</p><p><br></p><p>Anyhow why even bother. Current iTunes Win32 works just fine for 99.999% of Windows users. Windows 10 S and the store are a failure at this point.</p><p><br></p><p>Also I do think that Apple within the next 1-2 two years will end of life iTunes. It will be replaced by a new Apple Music app that will allow you to buy Music and any other content will be moved into their host of other apps, none of which are on Windows today or ever will be. (iBooks, TV app, App Store for iOS, TV, Mac etc). If I were Apple I might not even make it for Windows, maybe have a web front end for Windows users at most.</p>

  • NoFlames

    15 December, 2017 - 5:22 pm

    <p>My guess is that Apple wants to do more than just do a simple conversion using the bridge. Remember they can use the bridge to convert the bulk, then pick and choose features to integrate even better by using the UWP features. They probably want to do some custom integration to at least be on par with Spotify. Spotify has added just enough UWP features to make it work decent. I don't think iTunes was very touch friendly, so they may need to do rework the UI a bit as well.</p>

  • Waethorn

    15 December, 2017 - 5:45 pm

    <p>I tried using Microsoft's own tools (Project Centennial) to try and get iTunes working as a "universal" (depending on who you ask) app and couldn't get anything to work properly. Centennial just crashes during the conversion.</p>

    • NoFlames

      15 December, 2017 - 5:50 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228088"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>That doesn't surprise me, Apple has always been bad at making good Windows software that is windows like. Someone else pointed out that they install drivers for old iPod's. That of course would be hard to make work with the bridge app.</p>

      • Waethorn

        16 December, 2017 - 1:39 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#228093"><em>In reply to NoFlames:</em></a></blockquote><p>See my comment above. Even when I strip out the driver installers, iTunes can't be sequenced by Centennial.</p>

  • Waethorn

    15 December, 2017 - 5:49 pm

    <p> Why does this have to be an app still? Google Play Music works just fine as a web store, as do many others.</p>

    • Stooks

      15 December, 2017 - 7:43 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228091"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Google Play Music Web does work well. That said Google digital content is a complete and utter mess. You have…</p><p><br></p><p>Google Play Music – Web/App</p><p>Google Play Video – Web/App</p><p>Google Play Books – Web/App</p><p>YouTube Music – App only?</p><p>YouTube Red – Web/App</p><p>YouTube TV – Web/App?</p><p><br></p><p>Just a tad confusing and lots of rumors of combining some/all. I would not touch any of it until they work it all out….and I will not hold my breath for that to occur anytime soon.</p><p><br></p>

      • Waethorn

        16 December, 2017 - 1:38 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#228103"><em>In reply to Stooks:</em></a></blockquote><p>YouTube Music and Red are US only anyway. All the rest have web interfaces for "desktop" and apps for "mobile" devices, i.e. tablets and phones. Not too hard to understand. Microsoft has how many versions of Office now?</p><p><br></p><p>Oh, and YouTube TV is US only, and only in certain cities, and the content is different for every city….</p>

    • PeteB

      16 December, 2017 - 12:00 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228091"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>1. It wasn't going to be a real WinRT10/XAML (UWP) app, just a sloppily desktop-bridged fake app – those don't fool anyone.</p><p>2. It's never coming out anyway. Read between the lines</p>

      • Waethorn

        16 December, 2017 - 2:13 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#228215"><em>In reply to PeteB:</em></a></blockquote><p>No, I'm criticising Apple – not Microsoft. There is no valid reason why Apple can't just make iTunes a full website instead of needing native apps for it all. For all the stupid crap like syncing obsolete hardware, they could easily make that a browser extension for Chrome and integrate it into Safari. Casting functionality is already available in Safari AFAIK (ok, I'm expecting that they do, but that's just a guess on my part), so adapting that to Bonjour-powered speakers should be a cakewalk.</p>

        • lvthunder

          Premium Member
          16 December, 2017 - 5:40 pm

          <blockquote><a href="#228259"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>They don't make Safari for Windows anymore.</p>

          • Waethorn

            17 December, 2017 - 1:30 pm

            <blockquote><a href="#228326"><em>In reply to lvthunder:</em></a></blockquote><p>Do they even still make new iPod's? What else really needs any software on PC? iPod touch's certainly don't, and I don't remember when they last updated non-iOS iPods.</p>

        • Jeremy Woodruff

          17 December, 2017 - 1:08 am

          <blockquote><a href="#228259"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Because iTunes is dying legacy software. It won't be relevant at all within a couple years.</p>

        • Marius Muntean

          18 December, 2017 - 6:35 am

          <blockquote><a href="#228259"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Because they do not care about your precious Microshit platform…because they do not need the store version for anything…Either they launch it or not, it is the same. Whoever is using it it can use the classic win32. Why on earth would you use a pathetic junk converted app? Don't mention that mediocre locked down windows 10S…a FAILED JOKE, a pathetic joke that no sane mane would ever use.</p>

          • Waethorn

            18 December, 2017 - 11:16 am

            <blockquote><a href="#228600"><em>In reply to Marius_Muntean:</em></a></blockquote><p>I've moved to Linux. What Microsoft does to Windows 10 now is interesting, but isn't attractive enough to draw me back.</p><p><br></p><p>I'm just saying that I don't understand the thought process in continuing to make iTunes an application rather than a website when lots of music stores have already figured that out. Please explain that.</p>

  • Roger Ramjet

    15 December, 2017 - 10:34 pm

    <p>certainly newsworthy, but not sure why people get worked up and need to cast about to find blame or some big takeaway. It's a delay in a tech product. Happens every minute. Homepod is also delayed, maybe they want to launch them together, or maybe not. It's a delay.</p>

    • PeteB

      16 December, 2017 - 11:56 am

      <blockquote><a href="#228152"><em>In reply to Roger Ramjet:</em></a></blockquote><p>Its a big deal because the ms fanboys were insisting it was one when "iTunes coming to windows 10 app store! Finally a big name app!" was first announced – actually believing it was some great legitimization of that awful mess of a store, and of UWP fake apps – perfectly good Win32 programs stuck in a UWP wrapper/jail.</p><p><br></p><p>Guaranteed this will never come out. There is no "delay", Apple or MS will just never mention it again in "2018" – the cowardly way both companies deal with cancellations and changes of plans – silence and stonewall</p><p><br></p>

      • NT6.1

        16 December, 2017 - 6:10 pm

        <blockquote><a href="#228213"><em>In reply to PeteB:</em></a></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Yeah, I'm pretty sure this version of iTunes will never be released. UWP is a fail. The best thing Microsoft could do is move on from Windows 10 and start over from Windows NT 6.1.</p>

  • Locust Infested Orchard Inc.

    16 December, 2017 - 5:28 am

    <p>iTunes can go whistle !</p>

  • bcpj

    16 December, 2017 - 7:46 am

    <p>Possibly the biggest piece of malware ever. No need to have that in the windows eco-system. It’s astonishing that people actually use that piece of…</p>

  • Darekmeridian

    16 December, 2017 - 12:34 pm

    <p> Apple may have it's hands a little full with iOS right now. They are doing near bi-weekly beta's on the beta track which is up from previous releases. They seems to be swatting a lot of little bugs here and there. I don't think iTunes is a priority. </p><p><br></p><p>Unless you have an older device do you even need iTunes? Does it make any sense at all for Apple to invest time and resources on a UWP version of an application they are trying to make obsolete?</p><p><br></p>

    • lvthunder

      Premium Member
      16 December, 2017 - 5:37 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228229"><em>In reply to Darekmeridian:</em></a></blockquote><p>Yes. You need iTunes for Apple Music.</p>

    • IanYates82

      Premium Member
      17 December, 2017 - 6:32 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#228229"><em>In reply to Darekmeridian:</em></a></blockquote><p>I don't believe they're making a UWP version though. Maybe they're adding some bells and whistles to the desktop bridge though? </p><p>However, any dev at Apple involved in shipping iTunes for Windows, wrapped in a desktop bridge bubble, is unlikely to also be on the team fixing iOS 11.</p><p><br></p><p>This is a lot about getting movies, TV and music from Apple working on Win 10S.</p>

  • Gavin Groom

    16 December, 2017 - 8:21 pm

    <p>ITT: 'OMG why do people use iTunes it's a piece of sh*t OMG I can't believe people need this OMG!!!1!!one!!1!'</p><p><br></p><p>Some people use iTunes. Get over it.</p>

  • Marius Muntean

    18 December, 2017 - 6:30 am

    <p>Sorry Paul, but Apple does not need Microsoon to succeed in their Music business. They do not need MS's pathetic app store to succeed. Users use Apple Music on mobile, that thing MS totally failed at. They could delay the launch of itunes in that store for another year and it wound not even make a dent because it can be installed as classic app win32. Who on earth is using that crippled junk windows 10S?? Why would Apple care about a FAILED JUNK OS like windows 10S?? let's be serious…</p>

  • Patrick3D

    18 December, 2017 - 4:26 pm

    <p>If they are trying to get it to run on Windows 10 S then no doubt delays are due to all of the services and drivers that Apple loads with the app. Bonjour, iTunes Home Sharing, iPod Service, iTunes Update service and so on. So much bloat.</p>

  • RM

    18 December, 2017 - 5:59 pm

    <p>Microsoft should not be in a rush, historically iTunes has been a major source of vulnerabilities on Windows (just like ActiveX and Office macros). This was back in the days of the I'm a Mac, I'm a PC commercials. I still think iTunes stats on vulnerabilities were used to help justify those attack ads.</p>

  • robincapper

    18 December, 2017 - 6:50 pm

    <p>They've never got <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">iTunes&nbsp;on Windows right before, main reason I gave up with iPhone back in the day when it needed iTunes to sync</span></p>

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