While Apple is a strong proponent of user privacy, a new lawsuit accuses the company of disclosing and selling certain iTunes purchase data. Bloomberg reports that Apple has been hit with a class action alleging that it discloses and sells information about iTunes listening habits.
[Update #2: Apple appears to be resolving this issue.]
[Update: It seems that the issue is affecting more than just Warner Bros movies. Users report that 4K titles from Columbia, MGM, 20th Century Fox, and others have also reverted to HD. This suggests it’s likely a bug on Apple’s part.]
Over the last several days, many Warner Bros movies on iTunes have reverted from 4K to simply HD on iTunes. This includes titles that customers have already purchased. At this point, it’s not explicitly clear whether this is an issue on Apple’s part or Warner’s.
The big news this week is that this fall may finally be the beginning of the end for iTunes. 9to5Mac’s Gui Rambo independently confirmed that the next major version of macOS will introduce standalone Music and Podcasts apps on the Mac. iTunes is expected to stick around for now, which suggests Apple’s new apps won’t include every legacy feature, but iPad-based versions of Music and Podcasts would actually introduce features to the Mac that aren’t available yet.
We’ve today been able to confirm that Apple is bringing new standalone media apps to macOS, including a Music app on the Mac.
That’s something I’ve been calling for since 2015.
Let’s have a new OS X Music app just like we got a new iOS one. Have it be a music player, and a means of transferring music to iOS devices, and nothing else. Strip away absolutely everything that isn’t about music.
I gave an exec summary of what I wanted from it back then, but now we know it’s finally happening, I thought I’d put together a more detailed wish-list for the upcoming app …
The iTunes MiniPlayer is a great way to have quick access to your iTunes or Apple Music library on your Mac without having a giant window covering your screen. It gives you easy access to your currently playing song, skip and rewind controls, play/pause, and even shows a history of what you’re playing. Follow along to learn how to set the iTunes MiniPlayer on top of all windows on Mac.
A new report details how a pirated 4K copy of Aquaman could be the first known example of Apple’s 4K iTunes content being hacked. While there could be other explanations, multiple signs are pointing to the film coming from iTunes.
In a rather bizarre turn of events, CDs and vinyl records are making a small comeback. According to CNET, both physical mediums are now making more money than the iTunes Store, which dominated the industry roughly four years ago. Streaming also continues to grow and propel the music industry.
If you’re old school and still prefer to backup your iOS devices through iTunes, it’d be handy to know where those backups are located. Follow along to learn where iTunes stores its backups.
Update 2/11/2019: Samsung now says its 2019 QLED TVs are now available to purchase or pre-order. The upcoming iTunes app and AirPlay 2 feature will be available in a future update to compatible 2019 and 2018 TVs.
Apple and Samsung today announced a partnership to put iTunes TV shows and movies onto Samsung Smart TVs from the spring. The iTunes video content will be exposed through a special app that sits alongside existing apps like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube.
The TVs will also become AirPlay 2 receivers, marking the first official AirPlay integration for third parties. The features will launch on 2019 Samsung Smart TVs and most 2018 Samsung Smart TVs through a software update.
Apple today has confirmed that it is now charging sales tax on TV, movie, music, and audiobook iTunes purchases in Canada. The change first went into effect last week, and now Apple is confirming the new policy.
One notable provider missing in Apple’s TV app integration is Netflix. While you can still search for content from Netflix within the app, it will not keep track of watching history or suggest content for the Up Next feature. The company will be distancing itself from Apple even more soon.
Apple is facing a class action lawsuit over how it labels TV bundles in the iTunes Store, according to a new report from The Hollywood Reporter. The class action lawsuit was recently filed in California federal court and alleges that by counting promotional clips as episodes, Apple is deceiving buyers of Season Pass content.
One of the most underrated, and frankly hidden things from users is the ability to get a refund on iTunes or App Store purchases. This is especially important for games or apps that may be misleading and don’t function the same way the screenshots/description says it does.
A viral tweet over the last week has led to a lot of confusion about whether or not Apple can delete movies you’ve purchased through iTunes from your library. In a statement to CNET this weekend, however, Apple addressed the controversy and offered a bit more detail on the situation.
Got a new pair of headphones or speakers but sounds a bit off? If you’re an Apple Music subscriber or use iTunes as your way to manage music, there might be a way to offer a temporary fix for your audio gear…
Apple’s controversial decision to remove apps from its iTunes Affiliate Program may be bad news for many, but it could represent good news of a kind for those with very small balances …
Apple announced in an email to publishers this evening that it is making changes to its iTunes Affiliate Program. The company says that starting this fall, apps for iOS and macOS will no longer be included in the affiliate program…
Lost in the shuffle of Prime Day is a new batch of sales over at the iTunes store. We’re seeing all-time lows on popular TV show complete season, such as Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Star Trek and more. There’s also plenty of movie deals too, focused on Batman and other superheroes. Head below for all that plus the usual selection of 4K films and more.
Apple has begun supporting the iDEAL payment method in its App Store. This allows customers to purchase apps with Dutch banks, instead of using a credit or debit card.
Apple has started notifying customers of an upcoming security update to payments on iTunes and the App Store that will affect older versions of iOS, tvOS, and macOS. The change will go take place on Saturday according to an alert from Apple.
Alongside the heap of new software updates today, Apple is now pushing out a minor update to iTunes for both Mac and Windows, likely to support the new software.
I’ve written many times that the integrated ecosystem offered by Apple is one of the company’s greatest strengths. The Handoff feature is a great example of that integration. It’s really handy to be able to do start reading something in Safari on my Mac, and then continue reading it on my iPhone, for example.
Handoff works with most Apple apps: Mail, Maps, Safari, Reminders, Calendar, Contacts, Pages, Numbers and Keynote – but not Music. That’s what I’d like to fix …
After promising, and then pushing it back, iTunes is now finally available on the Microsoft Store after much anticipation.
