It’s official: iTunes is no more. The latest update of Mac OS, called Catalina, lays the multimedia application to rest once and for all, formally replacing it with a trifecta of next-gen Apple software, from here known as Apple Music, Apple Podcast, and Apple TV.

So, what does this mean, aside from having a handful of new apps to navigate? Arguably the biggest change comes from the fact that Apple Music will no longer support XML files. XMLs are essentially the file type that iTunes exports a playlist as. Accordingly, a large amount of other musical software, say Traktor or Serato, incorporated those file types into their coding. The hiccup comes from the fact that while musical libraries are converted from iTunes to Apple Music, the XML files get lost in the fray. As a result, those who leaned on XML files to import playlists and collections of tracks into other software, such as DJs, are being told not to update until the issue is fixed.

The choice to update to Catalina is yours and your alone. While it does fix some OS bugs and enable new compatibility with iPads, it’s worth keeping in mind that updating means saying goodbye to iTunes.

Tags: Apple, iTunes

Categories: News