Apple Working to Update and Simplify iTunes Store and App Store in 2012?

9to5Mac reports that Apple is working on an overhaul of its iTunes Store and App Store marketplaces, seeking to simplify the user experience while also increasing interactivity and discoverability. The revamped stores are reportedly planned to launch later this year.

The new design is said to be even simpler and more user-friendly than the current design. Apple is working on ways to enhance the speed and efficiency of finding new content, such as songs, videos, and applications. The cornerstone element of Apple’s new iTunes Store is interactivity. As Apple vaguely explained to a number of music labels and entertainment partners, Apple is looking to make the iTunes Store a much more engaging experience.

According to the report, the focus is currently on the desktop iTunes Store and App Store experience as managed through the iTunes application, although it is unclear whether the revamped stores will come alongside a major revision to the application itself. And along with the revamped desktop experience, Apple will also be working to refresh the interface on iOS, although those changes may come somewhat after the changes on the desktop side.

Tag: 9to5mac.com

Top Rated Comments

(View all)

adztaylor

104 months ago

About time, iTunes is in a desperate need of an overhaul.

Rating: 31 Votes

iTim314

104 months ago

Will Ping die? One can only hope...

Rating: 27 Votes

LWX

104 months ago

Why is this not on the front page?

Rating: 23 Votes

Shrink

104 months ago

And not a moment too soon...

Rating: 11 Votes

dgree03

104 months ago

They need to create more categories, the ones they current have are too vague for the amount of apps they carry.

Maybe even add a "cart" option? I would love to queue up a few apps I want to buy by adding them to a cart?

This would be a very good feature on iOS because I HATE downloading an app and getting bounced out of the app store to watch it download!:mad:

Rating: 10 Votes

testcard

104 months ago

I wonder if an an option to combine multiple Apple IDs is part of the plan?

Rating: 9 Votes

yongren

104 months ago

Dude, I would love to have an app on my computer called "Music," in which would be music and nothing else. And one for "Videos" and "iBooks." And iPhoto could even be renamed "Photos" for good measure. Make iOS syncing happen in the background, totally automatically, every time you add or change something. Then, have an app called "iStore" or just "Store" for buying Mac AND iOS apps.

Oh, and ditch Ping.

Rating: 7 Votes

Defthand

104 months ago

While they're at it, I feel Apple needs to put more effort into improving their iBooks bookstore. It totally lacks "discoverability". I was in a brick-and-mortar bookstore the other day and stumbled on a half dozen titles that I later purchased as ebooks. I have yet to buy a book from iBooks that wasn't discovered elsewhere.

Rating: 7 Votes