Hold off on the iTunes epitaphs: Apple’s iTunes Store is remaining in place, and the iTunes software for Windows will live on.
Here’s what the tech giant announced at its 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday: With the introduction of macOS X 10.15 (code-named “Catalina”), the iTunes software application will disappear from the Mac — replaced with dedicated apps for Apple Music, Apple TV and Apple Podcasts.
That created confusion, with many users assuming everything iTunes-related is going by the wayside, which isn’t the case.
Apple clarified that the iTunes Store app for iOS will continue to be the place for iPhone and iPad users to purchase and download music, as well as buy or rent movies and TV shows. Alternately, owners of iOS devices can use the Apple TV app to purchase or rent movies and TV shows, as well as subscriptions to third-party channels like HBO and the Apple TV Plus subscription service that’s slated to debut in the fall of 2019.
Meanwhile, the iTunes app will continue to be the home for media for Microsoft Windows users (for the time being, anyway), as well as those on older versions of macOS.
Again, the change announced Monday affects only Mac users who move to the macOS Catalina operating system. Even with the elimination of the iTunes software for macOS, the iTunes Store will still be accessible: Users can get into the iTunes Store from the Music app (by selecting “View,” and then to “Show iTunes Store,” which will be displayed in the Finder sidebar).