WWDC19 | MacOS 10.15 throws out iTunes in favor of three dedicated apps

The tyrant that is iTunes has finally gone the way of Caesar; Apple has killed off the media management software. In its place, the Cupertino company has elected a new triumvirate in the form of dedicated Music, TV, and Podcast apps.

MacOS 10.15 Catalina is getting rid of iTunes to the applause of many. The application has been heavily criticized for several years, drawing the ire of Apple users due to its clunky interface and dated file management system. iTunes also served as the sole physical method of backing up and managing data on all iOS devices. While Apple has offered cloud solutions for iOS data management for years, iTunes served as a gatekeeper for those that preferred physical connections.

Now, users will have their choice of dedicated apps to manage their media. Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Podcasts will handle the media management features of iTunes. Any purchased material will be available through its respective app - TV covers movies and TV shows, Music covers music (obviously), and Podcasts will house a user’s podcasts. iTunes gift cards will also translate universally to these apps as they are tied to an Apple account and not a specific piece of software. The iTunes store will stick around in iOS 13 for the time being.

But what about connecting an iPhone or iPad to a Mac? Finder will now manage a connected iOS device, although its abilities seem to be much more restricted. When an iPhone or iPad is connected to a Mac, Finder will pop up and display it in the sidebar, but users will only be able to back up, restore, or update the connected device. Sadly, it seems that Apple is still keeping iOS’s file system contained in a walled garden inaccessible to the end user.