Apple to ring the changes at itunes

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple plans an overhaul of iTunes that will mark one of the largest changes to the world’s biggest music store since its 2003 debut.

Apple will unveil the changes by the end of the year, sources said.

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. Apple also plans new features for sharing music.

iTunes has been critical to Apple’s success over the past nine years, generating revenue of almost $1.9 billion (R16bn ) in the last quarter alone as well as tethering users to a widening family of Apple products.

Any changes will have implications for the media industry, because the store is the gateway for millions of iPhone, iPad, iPod and Mac users to buy music, movies and television shows.

Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr declined to comment.

Apple’s iTunes Store has more than 28 million songs and 45 000 movies. It also houses the App Store, which offers more than 650 000 applications that can be downloaded for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices.

With an increasing amount of content available on the store, the overhaul is intended to improve how people manage all their files.

That includes changes to how users find new material and how they access what they already own on different Apple devices.

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