Apple working on 'next generation of media apps for Windows'

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
last updated

Could Apple Music, TV, and more be on the way?

iTunes for Windows 10
iTunes for Windows 10 (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Apple is looking to build the "next generation of media apps for Windows."
  • The effort was disclosed through a job listing on LinkedIn.
  • This might indicate Apple will bring separate Music and TV apps to Windows 10, but it's too early to tell.

Apple appears to be working on a set of media apps for Windows 10 that could replace iTunes, as it did on macOS earlier this year. The news comes by way of a job listing (opens in new tab), initially discovered by Neowin, which seeks a software engineer to help build "next generation of media apps for Windows."

Apple's iTunes app is still available on Windows 10, despite it being retired in favor of separate Apple Music, Apple TV, and Podcasts apps on macOS earlier in 2019. It could be that Apple is working to pull the same maneuver on Windows 10, but it's too early to tell. For iTunes users who find the app to be bloated and slow, breaking it out into separate apps would be a big deal.

Source: LinkedInThe LinkedIn job listing from Apple for a Windows UWP developer. (Image credit: Source: LinkedIn)

This would mark a shift for Apple, which hasn't been the most supportive of Windows users over the years. Though it would make sense with the company's current trajectory, as it shifts focus to services like Apple Music and Apple TV Plus, which it seemingly wants to be available everywhere. While Windows users can use the web versions of these services, dedicated apps would complete the experience.

It's worth noting that Apple calls out experience with the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) as a plus in the qualifications for this role. Forthcoming apps build on the UWP platform would make it easier for Apple to bring them to all of Microsoft's platforms, ranging from Windows 10 PCs to Xbox One.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

7 Comments
  • That's interesting but I'm skeptical considering their miserable track record developing for Windows
  • They're in the content delivery business now, so they don't have much choice.
  • "Knowledge of UWP a plus" - hmm... Seems like they might at least partly invest in UWP. Might actually be good.
  • but but UWP is dead /s
  • My days of using anything Apple are long gone. Uninstalling iTunes a few years ago was the best feeling
  • I just want them to release a video player (iTunes, Apple TV, whatever) that can use hardware acceleration in Windows. There's absolutely no reason why my i7 Surface Pro 7 can't smoothly playback HD (720p+) videos in iTunes other than lazy developing on Apple's part. My 2015 Mac Mini handles 4K videos in iTunes with ease but a more modern system, with much more powerful hardware (and an actual SSD) stutters playing 720p video with 100% CPU load. If Walmart can do it with their Vudu app (which still won't let me choose where movies are downloaded), there's no reason for Apple not to do it now.
  • Music, Tv, and a file service "who is it"
    Logical