from Hacker News

Could we do this? Open source replacement for iTunes

by Tekker on 9/27/15, 4:51 PM with 3 comments

I've had it with iTunes for a long time now. I understand the original concept of managing your music (for the iPod) but when the iPhone was introduced it was shoehorned in to create this burgeoning monstrosity.

It says it wants a new download of iTunes, some 50 megs, often asking for QuickTime which doesn't always relate, and it's awkward in general.

I'd be happy to lead (or help lead) an effort - assuming it's legal to do this - to break apart the phone management from the music management.

If so, anyone interested, and what would you like to see as a result? Or, if not, what do you forsee the obstacles as?

- t

  • by dewey on 9/27/15, 5:08 PM

    In my experience iTunes isn't really necessary to manage the iPhone any more. At the beginning it was needed to set up a new phone but now all that is done in the setup process on the phone itself.

    If you just want to use another player for your music why not just install one of the many iTunes replacements and just ignore the installed iTunes? I doubt the few MB of space or bandwidth to update every few months are a big enough hassle to warrant such an endeavour especially if you have to re-engineer it every time there's a major version update.

  • by nadams on 9/27/15, 5:09 PM

    I'm pretty sure alternatives already exist [1].

    [1] http://beebom.com/2015/05/best-itunes-alternatives