Marzipan and iTunes

We’ve already heard numerous reports that Apple will be replacing iTunes with a set of standalone media apps to align with how these are laid out on iOS, but the good news is that it doesn’t look like Apple’s planning to simply “Marzipanify” the iOS versions to bring them over to macOS.

Although Apple did this last year with apps like Home, News, and Stocks, which still feel a bit anemic and awkward on the Mac, every report we’ve heard suggests that Apple’s new standalone Music app for the Mac will be a full replacement for iTunes, even offering features like Genius playlists and the ability to sync legacy iPhone and iPod devices over a wired USB connection. In fact, we’ve already seen some screenshots of the new Music and TV apps, and while they don’t show much of the capabilities, they definitely look promising. Music will be joined by separate TV, Podcasts, and Books apps, the last of which is already available on the Mac but is expected to get a redesign to line up with its new media counterparts, as well as gaining support for Audiobooks like it has on iOS.

The real magic of Marzipan, however, will be in its ability to open up the macOS side to developers who have traditionally focused solely on iOS. Many iPad apps use relatively simple interfaces that could work well on the Mac without the need for major enhancements, and this is where Marzipan will come in.