Reports and Social Media Point to iTunes Brand Retiring

Apple appears to be getting ready to retire the iTunes brand. Bloomberg and 9to5Mac sources reported this last week. Additionally, Apple is now obliterating iTunes on social media as well.

Since Saturday, the iTunes Facebook page has been completely wiped out. MacRumors notes that it appears that the content, likes, and even the creation date of that page have been transferred to the Apple TV Facebook page. iTunes on Instagram has also been cleared. Links to music, apps or other content that run through itunes.apple.com would now be redirected to subdomains such as music.apple.com or apps.apple.com.

Both Bloomberg and 9to5Mac report that Apple plans to replace iTunes with apps for music, TV shows, and podcasts. That would put Apple’s software for laptops and desktops on par with their tablet and smartphone counterparts. 9to5Mac even managed to get hold of screenshots from music and TV apps.

Apple has been using the iTunes brand since 2001, when it released version 1.0 of the software. The app was based on the MP3 player Sound Jam MP, which Apple had acquired from the makers the year before. The functionalities for video, synchronization of data with iPods, for example, and the ability to stream and buy media were added over the years. The software is available for macOS and Windows and the Windows 10 Store.

The official tying of the knot on iTunes may happen in the coming days. Apple will hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference from Monday, June 3 to Friday, June 7. During that event, Apple always makes multiple announcements.