News
Podcast support coming to iTunes [updated]
At the D: All Things Digital executive conference on Sunday, Apple CEO Steve Jobs demonstrated new podcast features in the next version of iTunes (presumably 4.9). Jobs said the new version of iTunes will be released within the next 60 days.
“He was slightly dismissive of populist podcasting, describing it as ‘Wayne’s World for radio’, and celebrating the arrival of professional radio stations into the market, but nonetheless, he was very high on the podcasting phenomenon, and the excitement that millions of users have displayed about it,” reports O’Reilly. “In the Q&A, Jason Calacanis of Weblogs, Inc. asked if there was any possibility of using the iTunes music store for paid podcasting. Jobs replied that for the moment they were only considering it as free content, but that he was open to looking into it.”
Update: The Wall Street Journal has further details (paid subscription required): “That will go away in iTunes 4.9, which Mr. Jobs demonstrated for conference attendees and said would be available within the next 60 days. ITunes 4.9 will integrate free podcasts as a menu item, allowing users to listen to podcasts and subscribe to them, with new podcasts they subscribe to downloaded to their iPods when the devices are synched to an iTunes-enabled computer.”
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1
New iTunes in 60 days most likely means new iPods in 60 days as well. I’m indifferent about the podcast feature… hopefully they add other new stuff as well.
Posted by Jon in Seattle, WA on May 23, 2005 at 12:50 AM (PDT)
2
I think they’re just adding a “video shop” to iTMS. That would be an attractive feature, and they know it. So, I assume that new version to be iTunes 5.
What I can’t imagine is that they’re launching an iPod video. That wouldn’t fit in the product policy.
What I rather believe is that they enhance iPod photo to play small (scaled) music clips downloaded from iTunes via a firmware update. iPod hardware would make it!
Well, all pure speculation. But maybe…
Posted by Haenneball on May 23, 2005 at 5:56 AM (PDT)
3
This could be very cool, or it could fall flat on its face, since it’s obvious Jobs doesn’t understand the podcast phenomenon at *all*.
All I know is, if this enhancement doesn’t have scheduling, the ability to actually read posts in an RSS feed (i.e. text!) and a feature that allows you to convert to the file format of your choice (i.e. convert an mp3 to a bookmarkable AAC) then it’s useless and we may as well stick with the robust ipodder clients that already exist.
I sent off some suggestions to Apple’s site...Hopefully Apple actually reads their feedback.
If they do this right, it will enhance the functionality of iTunes for a HUGE number of people!
Posted by stark23x on May 23, 2005 at 6:05 AM (PDT)
4
wwdc is two weeks away so we should see new stuff then ipod or mac not sure??
Posted by BIGP in Texas on May 23, 2005 at 6:19 AM (PDT)
5
well about the 4.9 version well it does sound better just need to know if we can change the skins on it or creat mixes on it and edit and paste other songs in to one song
Posted by bimal on June 27, 2005 at 10:43 AM (PDT)