I just heard that Apple has effectively killed iTunes for windows. They will no longer supply updates of any sort. Which means if I have MP3 music there’s no realistic way for me to put that onto my iPhone.

Now what I’m trying to figure out is if I got a new computer right now and I needed to install a piece of software to move my MP3’s onto my phone (on the basis I got a new phone) Could I download the iTunes software.?

Is iTunes even still downloadable?

If iTunes is not downloadable, how would I move music which I legally own onto my phone?

I would prefer to stay with an iPhone. So I guess the questions are about the iPhone.

My understanding is I could use Apple Music and sync my music archive from my computer onto my phone through Apple Music. But the problem is then have to keep paying Apple Music subscription, which is stupid since I already own the music.

  • Nyxicas
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    -426 days ago

    Eh, can’t care. As long as I can still sync with my Ipod and add/remove music, I’m fine. I don’t ever use ITunes for anything else, not for a long long time.

  • @Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
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    -627 days ago

    If iTunes is not downloadable, how would I move music which I legally own onto my phone?

    Alright, I’ve never used iTunes. I’ve never used an iPhone either. Full disclosure on that.

    But I’m having difficulty even understanding your issue. Either iTunes has some propriatary bullshit that I’m unaware of, like DRM, or you’re just not seeing the obvious.

    So right now, I don’t understand the core concept of the issue. What is preventing you from taking a cable, plugging the cable into your phone, plugging the other end into the PC, opening the folder on your pc with your mp3’s, opening the folder in your iPhone with your mp3’s, highlight the files on your PC, right click, copy, then right click inside the older on your iphone, paste, and wait for them to transfer?

    Me typing that out took 10x longer than the actual action, and you reading it took 2x longer than the actual action.

    I don’t understand the issue here.

    • @herrvogel@lemmy.world
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      27 days ago

      The iPhone is stopping them from doing all that, which you’d know if you’d ever used one. The phone’s filesystem does not appear to the pc as a mountable external volume for you to copy shit in and out of it. You have to move the files over network somehow, through a smb share or whatever.

      • @Venator@lemmy.nz
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        127 days ago

        Could put them on a usb drive instead then use an OTG cable to copy them off the USB drive to the phone?

        • ms.lane
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          127 days ago

          Yes.

          But iOS can also connect to SMB shares now, so you can just share your music folder via Samba/Windows File Sharing, skipping the need to copy onto a flash drive first.

          • @Venator@lemmy.nz
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            227 days ago

            Windows file sharing is often too much effort to get working, I’d just use a usb if I had an iPhone 😅

      • @NutinButNet@hilariouschaos.com
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        27 days ago

        For real lol. And that last bit on their comment is pure irony. I don’t understand why anyone upvoted that because that is the exact kind of comment meant for downvoting.

        • @SynopsisTantilize@lemm.ee
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          121 days ago

          I don’t want to complicate anything. She only uses it for the browser and texting. No need to have her learn a new OS. Apple has been just fine for what she needs.

          • 𝚝𝚛𝚔
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            121 days ago

            If she only uses the browser and texting, whats to learn that’s different?

            I actually push my family members to buy Apple products because then I dont have to provide tech support but tbh if their usage is just tapping on like 3 different icons, there’s really no difference between the two from a UI point of view. And a mid-range Android phone that allows you to tape those 3 icons is probably 1/5th the cost of an iPhone.

            • @SynopsisTantilize@lemm.ee
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              120 days ago

              Not worth transitioning and getting things set back up. Sometimes it’s easier to just stay with the old and leave the new to the willing.

  • @happydoors@lemm.ee
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    626 days ago

    I haven’t seen anybody else mention that iTunes downloads and .exe exists for basically all versions that came out. Just not on the Apple site. It’s common for people to download old versions to try and work with old iPods or OS versions. Even if there is no “update” for iTunes on windows: what’s stopping you from using the current version until it breaks? It should still it’s job of transferring music to your current device for a long time

  • @LostWanderer@lemmynsfw.com
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    27 days ago

    They did kill iTunes as it was too old and the work to modernize it would be too much. However, the functions of iTunes live on in several apps: Apple Music, Apple Devices, Apple TV, and iCloud for Windows. You will just have to grab the apps you need from the Windows Store. Such a fuss was made about this, I’m surprised you didn’t know! The Apple Support updated relevant pages to let people know too.

    • bean
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      327 days ago

      iTunes and such wasn’t working with accounts using self provided safety keys. I finally got Apple Music and iCloud in Windows 11, then promptly installed Cider. It’s not perfect but I can scrobble stuff and it still has lots of features

  • Em Adespoton
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    3727 days ago

    There’s really no reason for iTunes anymore.

    Got MP3s? Stick them in a fileshare on your PC and use the Files app to copy them onto your phone. Or run a streaming service and stream them over.

    But if you really want to manage everything from the PC, you can always use software like iMazing to do so.

    Lots of options, all better than iTunes.

  • @Piwix@lemm.ee
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    427 days ago

    Would there be any other way to access the iTunes music/media store? I only use itunes now to buy DRM free music when its not available on bandcamp. As far as i know its been the only way to access and purchase via the itunes store on a non-apple device

  • @Asterisms@lemmy.world
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    127 days ago

    Dunno if it’s still around but when i had troubles with itunes back in the days of the 5S, i briefly used media monkey. it was pretty straight forward!iirc!

  • finley
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    -1927 days ago

    I haven’t used either iTunes or Windows in a couple of decades. Who cares?

    • @BmeBenji@lemm.ee
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      1327 days ago

      Clearly the person who asked the question doesn’t care so I’m sure this was a useful comment to post

  • ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠
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    1427 days ago

    This is great news! Now I can finally go back to using the last good version of iTunes without worrying about it accidentally updating to a later version.

    • Bone
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      227 days ago

      Which version is that? I’m interested myself.

      • ℕ𝕖𝕞𝕠
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        227 days ago

        I have to double-check, but I think 1.7.2 was the last one with both Visualizer and Party Shuffle.

        It’s fucking amazing to me that in the decade since I haven’t been able to find a music library software that has both smart playlists and something like Party Shuffle. If I had more free time I might have written one myself by now.

        • Bone
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          227 days ago

          Thank you so much. I use iTunes to help maintain a personal mp3 library. I could and probably should use something else, but I guess I never learned. One day. But seriously, thanks for the version tip!

  • @BmeBenji@lemm.ee
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    1127 days ago

    Idk but iTunes for Windows has never not been shit. When I recently switched back to iOS from Android I found copytrans. I can’t speak to how secure it is, but it has done a great job of putting all the music I own onto my iPhone.

    I like it more than using Apple Music on a Mac for doing the transfer because the last time I tried that, Apple tried to tell me I didn’t have the rights to listen to a song that I literally sang and recorded.

  • ms.lane
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    127 days ago

    Hope they don’t kill it entirely, or at least move their media codecs out to a separate download.

    CoreAAC > all other AAC encoders