Genius Recommendations Return in Renamed 'iTunes Sidebar'
With the release of iTunes 10.0.1 in late September, Apple unveiled the Ping Sidebar, offering users the ability to experience deeper integration between their music libraries and Apple's music-focused social network launched in iTunes 10. The new functionality did, however, do away with the earlier "Genius Sidebar" that had offered users song recommendations based on items in their own libraries.
As noted by MacStories, Apple late last week quietly tweaked the sidebar yet again in an attempt to offer the best of both worlds, offering both Ping and Genius functionalities in a renamed "iTunes Sidebar".
The Ping dropdown menu next to each song in users' libraries also continues to be offered, allowing users easy access to the service's functions and artist profiles.
The new iTunes Sidebar does not requires a revised version of iTunes 10 delivered via software update, as the sidebar's contents are loaded entirely from Apple's servers.
Popular Stories
May has been a quiet stretch in terms of new Apple products, but the company did release two accessories on its online store this month.
First up was a new Pride Edition Sport Loop for the Apple Watch. The band features a rainbow design with 11 colors of woven nylon yarns. U.S. pricing is set at $49.
The band is part of Apple's 2026 Pride Collection, which also includes a new Pride...
April and May have been relatively slow months for Apple this year, but there is a lot to look forward to heading into WWDC 2026 and beyond.
Apple is expected to release at least 15 more products later this year, with some of them held up until the more personalized version of Siri launches.
Beyond the usual annual updates to iPhones and Apple Watches in September, Apple's all-new smart...
Last year, Apple launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. Nearly a year later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to Aston Martin's latest luxury vehicles, but that should change fairly soon.
In May 2025, Apple said many other vehicle brands planned to offer CarPlay Ultra, including Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.
CarPlay Ultra...