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Big Mac · Mar 27, 2012, 05:04 AM

Just noticed a new link on the Google bar: Google play. It looks like it's Google's latest attempt at competing with iTunes. Nice looking site but I don't know how useful it will be to me. Thoughts?

Spheric Harlot · Mar 27, 2012, 06:12 AM

It's just the recent rebranding of Google Marketplace.

Amateur Hour is over.

imitchellg5 · Mar 27, 2012, 09:10 AM

It's nothing new at all. It's just integration of Google's Music, Books, Videos, and Android Marketplace in one interface.

Hopefully Apple thinks it's a good idea and follows suit with the App Store and iTunes on iOS.

SSharon · Mar 27, 2012, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

Hopefully Apple thinks it's a good idea and follows suit with the App Store and iTunes on iOS.

What's the advantage to having them combined? I never use the itunes app (and can't delete it of course) so I wouldn't enjoy the app store app having tons of junk I don't want.

imitchellg5 · Mar 28, 2012, 08:28 AM

Having one app instead of two?

Wiskedjak · Mar 28, 2012, 08:36 AM

It makes sense to have all of your stores in one location. IMO, Apple made their stores really confusing by:
-sticking the iTunes store into their media player
-adding video products to iTunes while leaving the name music related
-adding mobile application products to iTunes while leaving the name music related
-having a separate Mobile App store on the mobile devices while it's buried in the iTunes store on desktops
-having a desktop App Store that is separate from the iTunes store (and, by association, separate from the Mobile App Store)
-having a Book Store that is only available on mobile devices

Spheric Harlot · Mar 28, 2012, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Wiskedjak

It makes sense to have all of your stores in one location. IMO, Apple made their stores really confusing by:
-sticking the iTunes store into their media player
-adding video products to iTunes while leaving the name music related
-adding mobile application products to iTunes while leaving the name music related
-having a separate Mobile App store on the mobile devices while it's buried in the iTunes store on desktops
-having a desktop App Store that is separate from the iTunes store (and, by association, separate from the Mobile App Store)
-having a Book Store that is only available on mobile devices

The iBook Store has been available on desktop iTunes for a while now.

There's a couple of aspects here. One is the cross-platform nature of iTunes. The back-end is a webpage. Integrating the Mac App Store into that is kinda pointless, since Windows users really don't need it.

In addition, the Mac App Store is mutating into Software Update in 10.8, which means it's your one-stop solution for software management on Mac OS.

Apart from that, I'm really not a fan of integrating everything into one app. iTunes is enough of a hodgepodge as it is. I understand why videos and iOS apps and books are in there (cross-platform compatibility), but it's hardly a good and elegant solution. The way it is on iOS devices makes a LOT more sense to me.

Eug · Mar 28, 2012, 09:11 AM

Tangent: It's odd from a mainstream consumer's perspective to see that if you do a search of Google Play's apps you may get a bunch of apps listed that require you to root your device and aren't guaranteed to work on your Android device.

Spheric Harlot · Mar 28, 2012, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by Eug

Tangent: It's odd from a mainstream consumer's perspective to see that if you do a search of Google Play's apps you may get a bunch of apps listed that require you to root your device and aren't guaranteed to work on your Android device.

...because fragmentation isn't a problem for developers or consumers...

SSharon · Mar 28, 2012, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by imitchellg5

Having one app instead of two?

Then why not combine Notes and Voice Memos or Notes and Reminders?

I get that iTunes and App Store are both apps, but they are used for different things. Having them separate also allows for separate parental controls. iTunes has essentially no free content, but the app store has tons of it. I'm sure there are parents out there that block iTunes, but permit the app store.

Big Mac · Mar 28, 2012, 10:34 AM

That's extraordinary - apps from their app store requiring rooting?

SH, can you provide more details on what you referenced above, about App Store and Software Update merging in 10.8? I hadn't heard of that, and it sounds interesting.

Spheric Harlot · Mar 28, 2012, 10:39 AM

Software Update Moves To The Mac App Store With Mountain Lion | Cult of Mac

This makes perfect sense IMO.

Sidenote: An Apple ID is NOT required for system updates.

SSharon · Mar 28, 2012, 10:45 AM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Software Update Moves To The Mac App Store With Mountain Lion | Cult of Mac

This makes perfect sense IMO.

Sidenote: An Apple ID is NOT required for system updates.

I hope they add a way to select apps to not be updated. I have one iOS app that I don't want to update (the newer version has adds and fewer features) and because of it I can never use the update all button and I have to manually update each app (extra annoying because it takes you out of the app for no reason).

OreoCookie · Mar 28, 2012, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

Apart from that, I'm really not a fan of integrating everything into one app. iTunes is enough of a hodgepodge as it is. I understand why videos and iOS apps and books are in there (cross-platform compatibility), but it's hardly a good and elegant solution. The way it is on iOS devices makes a LOT more sense to me.

I think the biggest concern here for Apple is that disentangling all the different functionality would invariably dilute the »iTunes« brand. I would be much happier if the next version of iTunes on OS X would be called Music like on my iPod touch and just play back music. Perhaps that's in the works at Apple, but for brand awareness reasons, it's probably more difficult than on iOS.

Big Mac · Mar 28, 2012, 11:02 AM

Where does the iTunes Store go in your vision, if it's decoupled from iTunes? Renaming iTunes to Music and taking out the store would be gigantically disruptive to end users, IMO. It's been bandied about for years as a possible solution to iTunes feature creep and bloat, but at this point after billions of downloads served, I don't think you can make drastic changes to the iTunes platform. It's definitely a platform unto itself.

OreoCookie · Mar 28, 2012, 12:08 PM

@BigMac
Yes, but Apple is known for not being afraid of disruptive upgrades. In iOS, the two are separate apps, but »don't feel like separate apps«. On the desktop, you are invariably more aware that you have two separate apps open.

My proposal would be to create the following apps:
(1) Music
(2) Videos
(3) iTunes Media Store (videos and music)
(4) iBook store

People looking for iOS apps should buy and install them from their iOS device.