Apple to close iTunes store in 2019

With the growth of streaming services higher than ever, Apple have announced their intention to close the famous iTunes store. The online buying platform, which proved the stepping stone for the digital music revolution of the early 21st century, competing with giants like Napster, was a catalyst in the growth of the iPod, with customers worldwide, buying tracks from the store and then downloading them to their computer, and uploading them to their iPod.

However, recognising the ways music consumption has changed in the past half-decade, Apple has launched its own streaming service; Apple Music, as it looks to the compete with the likes of TIDAL, SoundCloud, YouTube and Spotify.

With rumours suggesting that Apple plan to end music downloads in early 2019, lagging music sales have accelerated Apple’s timeline for ending the iTunes store. Apparently, the roll-out will include a migration of a user’s iTunes downloads to an Apple Music account. This would evolve into a three-month trial—similar to the current three-month trial offered by Apple to new Apple Music users—in which a user’s playlists and downloads would be completely imported.

Additionally, any non-licensed music would not be available on Apple Music, but users will still be able to listen to those non-licensed songs until they become apart of Apple’s streaming service.