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Apple Releases iTunes 12.4 With Design Tweaks [Updated]

Monday May 16, 2016 10:10 am PDT by Juli Clover
newitunes122logoApple today released iTunes 12.4, bringing some minor design tweaks and important bug fixes to its media software. iTunes 12.4 comes seven months after the launch of iTunes 12.3, which was released to the public in September, and nearly two months after the last minor iTunes update.

iTunes 12.4 includes a redesigned interface that's designed to be simpler, with the reintroduction of a sidebar for easier navigation and a revamped media picker, as was shared by MacRumors earlier this month.

Today's update may also include safeguards to protect users from an issue that could cause music stored in iTunes to be deleted. The deletion problem affected a small number of users and while Apple was not able to recreate the bug, the company promised "additional safeguards."

The iTunes 12.4 update can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store. Full release notes are below.
Now enjoy all of your music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, and more in a simpler design.

Navigation. Now you can use Back and Forward buttons as you navigate between your Library, Apple Music, iTunes Store, and more.

Media Picker. Easily switch between Music, Movies, TV shows and more--and Edit to choose just the items you want.

Library and Playlists. Use Sidebar to view your Library in new ways. Drag and drop songs to easily add them to Playlists. And Edit Sidebar to show only your favorite views.

Menus. Menus in iTuns are now simpler and easier to use. Use the View menu to customize your Library or try context menus to act on specific items.
Apple is working on OS X 10.12, set to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. iOS 10 is rumored to be gaining Apple Music changes, and it's possible OS X 10.12 will bring additional design tweaks to iTunes for a more streamlined Apple Music interface.

Update: TechCrunch has confirmed that the iTunes 12.4 update addresses the music deletion issue that affected a small number of iTunes users.

Tag: iTunes 12.4
[ 319 comments ]


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adamjackson
29 months ago
I love OS Update Day:



Now, to do my Apple Watch. It was funny trying to find a camera w/ my devices out of commission. GoPro to the rescue.
Rating: 62 Votes
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BeSweeet
29 months ago
Today was more exciting than Apple's March event.
Rating: 49 Votes
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dannyyankou
29 months ago

Who cares? I stopped using iTunes a couple of years ago when it "lost" a 300+ collections of CDs I'd ripped to my Mac.

I don't know about you but I typically don't comment on stories that don't relate to me.
Rating: 17 Votes
Avatar
adamjackson
29 months ago
A nice change but I still cross my fingers in hopes we get a suite of Apple applications that each have their own function

iBooks
Movies
Shows
Apple Music
iTunes (local music & podcasts)
Rating: 16 Votes
Avatar
lederermc
29 months ago

Who cares? I stopped using iTunes a couple of years ago when it "lost" a 300+ collections of CDs I'd ripped to my Mac.

Who cares about someone that doesn't care?
Rating: 16 Votes
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SandboxGeneral
29 months ago
Nice to have the sidebar again.
Rating: 11 Votes
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trifid
29 months ago

Twice??? Another iTunes FAIL??? I just click once. Is yours broken? Much cleaner, and the dropdown can be edited.

Overall this is an excellent update. Like it a lot.


Alright lets review what's actually happening with that pull-down menu:

iTunes 12.3
1. Aim pointer at section you want and click

iTunes 12.4
1. Aim pointer at pull-down and click it once or click-and-hold
2. Drag up or down mouse pointer to the item you want
3. Click mouse on item you want, or release mouse button, depending on what you did on step 1

This is tedious and ridiculous compared to the previous way.

Oh and btw that pull-down menu is a moving target and not static/fixed as before:





So the user has no muscle memory advantage here. The pull-down menu is a moving target which hinders usability when compared to the previous UI where sections where always fixed in position.
Rating: 10 Votes
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adm58
29 months ago

You can still hide it.


Except now if you hide it, there is no view picker (formerly on the top right corner.) So no way to switch between album or artist view, and no way to get to your playlists.

The sidebar is now mandatory for full navigation, whereas it was optional before.
Rating: 9 Votes
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alexcanton
29 months ago
Ffs what have they done to the media picker. Now it takes two clicks to switch between categories. How are Apple being so useless?
Rating: 8 Votes
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Thunderhawks
29 months ago

A nice change but I still cross my fingers in hopes we get a suite of Apple applications that each have their own function

iBooks
Movies
Shows
Apple Music
iTunes (local music & podcasts)


This is the only thing that makes sense!

Why can Apple not see that?
Rating: 7 Votes

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