Pure speculation, but is it really right that iTunes should be used to organise all our media?
iTunes is clearly a brand that Apple would like to keep, but most people would agree, iTunes was designed for music. The name simply reinforces that image. With the imminent release of iTV [or whichever wonderful name they give it] and the persistent rumours of a “true” video iPod, it seems that now is the perfect time to introduce a media browser designed for more than just music.
I thought iTunes did video brilliantly… Well, it manages. On the other hand, when you look at the underlying files and folders, you quickly see music is what it’s all about. I would imagine you have realised that the default location to store videos with iTunes is inside your music folder. Does this make sense? Perhaps, if it was only music videos you were organising, but the truth is a lot of iTunes users now subscribe to video podcasts, download TV shows and movies from the iTunes store, and rip their own DVDs with 3rd party applications.
Apple have plenty of reasons to be reluctant to replace iTunes. You only need to look at any iPod ad to see “iPod + iTunes.” Quite simply, the brand is worth far more than any new application. But wait, what are they going to call iTV? The product that could do for living room media what the iPod did for digital music. A product that deals with all forms of media: videos, photos, music, podcasts. With the introduction of iTV people could be recording TV back to their Macs via wifi, a complicated process that needs to be simplified. iTunes is not currently ready to handle this sort of multimedia functionality.
So what would they call the iTunes replacement? A very good question. I think this could become clear when they decide on the final name for the iTV tomorrow. The ecosystem would then be complete: Media Organising Application superior to iTunes + iPod line + iTV.
Oh, there is one more thing… The Apple Phone. Let’s not go there.
[Just to let you know, iTunes, iTunes logo, Apple, iPod, and a few others belong to Apple Computer Inc.]
