What Happens to My Movies and TV Shows After Apple Shuts Down iTunes?
Apple announced this week that after an 18-year run it was shutting down iTunes, the app that helped transform the company from the guys who made those weird computers very few people owned into the center of the digital universe. In the new macOS Catalina, Apple is “replacing iTunes with its popular entertainment apps — Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and the Apple TV app.” R.I.P. iTunes. Or maybe that should be RiP iTunes. They never did capitalize that ‘i’ for whatever reason.
While some might feel some brand loyalty for iTunes, or a sense of nostalgia when recalling the days when the iTunes store was an incredible new way to instantly purchase music online, most people don’t really care what you call the program where they watch and listen to stuff. (Although they might get a tiny bit annoyed that they have to juggle three different apps instead of just one.) What they really care about is all the stuff they purchased on iTunes through the decades. Where is it going to go? Do you have to do anything to keep it? Will it vanish if you’re not careful?
The short answer is no. When Apple TV is up and running (and iTunes is laid to rest once and for all) what ever films and TV shows you own will be shifted from the library section of iTunes to the library section of Apple TV. And yes, it’s just Apple TV for both movies and TV shows; there isn’t an Apple Movies app. At least not yet; Apple loves making new apps.
The new macOS launches in the fall. Expect it around the same time Apple will begin its new streaming service Apple TV+, the tech giant’s first foray into the world of original content.
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