From flagship to fragment – the evolution of iTunes
When Steve Jobs unveiled iTunes in 2001, it quickly became the go‑to storefront for buying digital music in the United States, at one point controlling roughly 63 % of paid downloads. Over the last 25 years the service has been reshaped by two forces: the rise of streaming (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.) and Apple’s own desire to split the monolithic program into specialised apps.
The result is a legacy‑laden name that still appears in the App Store and on Windows PCs, but the original “everything‑in‑one” experience has been dismantled. The iTunes Store lives on, but the surrounding media‑management suite has been scattered across Music, TV, Podcasts, and Finder (on macOS) or the Apple Devices app (on Windows).
What you can still do with iTunes in 2026
| Feature | Where it lives now | How you access it |
|---|---|---|
| Buy individual songs, albums, movies or TV episodes | iTunes Store app on iPhone/iPad; iTunes for Windows | Open the dedicated Store app or launch iTunes on a PC and browse the storefront. |
| Play and organise your own purchased tracks | Music app (macOS, iOS) | Your library appears alongside ripped CDs, DRM‑free files and any ALAC files you’ve added. |
| Manage audiobooks and legacy podcasts | iTunes for Windows (still the only place that lists them together) | Install the Windows version and use the left‑hand sidebar to browse. |
| Sync iPhone/iPad to a computer (backups, restores, software updates) | Finder on macOS ≥ Mojave; Apple Devices on Windows | Connect your device via USB or Wi‑Fi and the OS handles the sync. |
| Access your historic purchases | Tied to your Apple Account (formerly Apple ID) | Sign in with the same credentials you used when you first bought the content. |
In short, the iTunes Store still sells one‑off downloads, but the surrounding ecosystem has been re‑packaged.
The Windows side of things – why iTunes still matters for PC users
Apple stopped shipping the macOS version of iTunes after macOS Catalina (2019). The Windows version, however, continues to receive security updates and remains the only Apple‑branded app that can:
- Purchase music, movies or TV shows without a subscription.
- Manage a local library of MP3, AAC or ALAC files.
- Store and play audiobooks and the few free podcasts that haven’t migrated to the dedicated Podcasts app.
If you prefer owning files rather than streaming, the Windows iTunes client is still a viable, if dated, option. It also offers a familiar interface for users who have been buying iTunes downloads for decades.
macOS and iOS: the new home of iTunes‑style tasks
Music app – the direct descendant of iTunes’ music library
On both macOS and iOS, the Music app now doubles as a player for:
- Tracks bought from the iTunes Store.
- DRM‑free files you imported from CDs or downloaded from other services.
- Your personal playlists, complete with album art and metadata.
You do not need an Apple Music subscription to listen to these files. Subscribing simply adds a streaming catalogue and iCloud‑library syncing, but the core playback functionality remains free.
TV app – movies and TV‑show purchases
All video purchases have been moved to the TV app. It houses everything you bought from the iTunes Store, as well as rentals and Apple TV+ content. The separation mirrors the way Android users have distinct Google Play Movies & TV and Google Play Music (now YouTube Music) apps.
Finder – the new device‑sync hub
Since macOS Mojave, Apple has shifted device management out of iTunes and into Finder. When you plug an iPhone or iPad into a Mac, the device appears in the Finder sidebar, allowing you to:
- Back up to the computer.
- Restore from a previous backup.
- Update iOS or iPadOS firmware.
- Transfer files (photos, documents, etc.)
This mirrors the Android world where file transfers are handled by the OS’s native file manager or the Android File Transfer utility on macOS.
Why Android‑focused readers should care
Even if you never own an Apple device, the state of iTunes matters for a few reasons:
- Cross‑platform music ownership – Many users still have large iTunes libraries of purchased MP3s or lossless ALAC files. Those files can be imported into Android music players (e.g., Poweramp, VLC) without any subscription.
- Legacy content – Audiobooks bought from iTunes are not automatically available on Android. You’ll need to export them from iTunes on Windows and copy them to your Android device.
- Contract‑deal comparisons – When evaluating a mobile contract, consider whether you’ll need a streaming subscription or if you can rely on a personal library. iTunes shows that owning music is still possible, albeit with a more fragmented workflow.
- Device‑sync expectations – Apple’s move to Finder demonstrates a broader industry trend: manufacturers are moving away from heavyweight desktop sync tools toward cloud‑based or OS‑native solutions. Android users can expect similar shifts with tools like Google One for backups.
The bottom line
Apple’s iTunes brand has survived more than a quarter of a century, but the software that once combined music, movies, podcasts, device backups and app management into a single window has been disassembled. The storefront for buying individual downloads lives on as a dedicated iTunes Store app on iOS and as the classic iTunes for Windows client. All other functions have been redistributed to purpose‑built apps:
- Music for audio playback and library management.
- TV for video purchases.
- Podcasts for on‑demand shows.
- Finder (macOS) or Apple Devices (Windows) for device syncing.
For Android‑centric shoppers, the key takeaway is that ownership of digital media is still viable, but you’ll need to navigate a more fragmented ecosystem—much like Apple’s own approach. Whether you’re hunting a contract that includes a streaming bundle or you prefer to keep a personal collection, understanding where Apple’s legacy content lives helps you make an informed decision.
Quick checklist for former iTunes users
- Still want to buy one‑off tracks? Use the iTunes Store app on iPhone/iPad or iTunes for Windows.
- Need to sync your iPhone to a Mac? Open Finder and look for your device in the sidebar.
- Want to listen to purchased songs on Android? Export the files from iTunes (Windows) and copy them to your Android music folder.
- Own audiobooks from iTunes? They remain in the Windows client; export them for use on other platforms.
- Concerned about subscription costs? Remember that purchased files play without Apple Music, and the same principle applies to Android‑compatible players.
By keeping these points in mind, you can continue to enjoy your existing library while navigating the modern, split‑up Apple media landscape.