When TV shows and movies got incorporated into iTunes 6 back in October 2005, it streamlined a more messy process. Now, with the launch of iOS 17.2, Apple has finally outgrown it, and iTunes may be on the way out too.
As we originally reported last week during the tvOS 17.2 RC, iTunes Movies and iTunes TV shows purchased before now can be found in the Apple TV app, as it aims to replace all these services with just Apple TV. You won’t miss out on any purchases made until now and can, instead, buy any new shows or movies through the app. This change has now not only gone live on tvOS17.2 but iOS 17.2, automatically moving where you can purchase your TV shows and movies. Devices that have not yet been updated will still be able to purchase and view TV shows and movies from the iTunes Store.
tvOS now has a much cleaner interface with a brand new menu bar on the left-hand side, which includes other video apps, subscriptions, and more. Though the inclusion of movies and TV in iTunes was iconic, it made the browsing experience tedious and bloated, which explains this new setup.
All good things must come to an end – iMore’s take
Just like it can be hard to justify putting resources into iTunes TV shows when Apple TV exists as a service, iTunes feels like it has been made mostly obsolete by Apple Music, an app that could easily incorporate iTunes’ best features. Though Apple Music is all about streaming music, you can download your favorite music in lossless quality to listen to on the go.
This is a step that Apple has needed to take for a while but likely hasn’t due to the history of the brand itself. iTunes is an iconic service and this feels like one of the final steps before it ends entirely. Like the iPod and iBook, it will be fondly remembered when it becomes fully redundant.
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