Apple iTunes still exists, but not the way it used to
Apple's iTunes survives in fragmented form 25 years after its debut, while device syncing moves to Finder and stores remain for purchasing.
Rather than disappearing entirely, iTunes was broken apart. Music moved into the Music app, movies into Apple TV, podcasts into Apple Podcasts, and device syncing on Macs now happens in Finder instead of iTunes. On Windows, Apple still offers the traditional iTunes app, though installing Apple Music or Apple TV can take over music and video playback, while the Apple Devices app handles syncing and backups, and old iTunes remains the place for audiobooks and free podcasts.
Users do not need a separate iTunes account to access old purchases. Their Apple Account remains linked to purchased music, films, TV seasons, audiobooks and other content, and an Apple Music subscription is not required to keep listening to files they already own. Purchased albums from 2026 can sit alongside files ripped from CDs in 2004, and downloads can be stored for listening offline without a subscription.
The iTunes Store is still useful in specific places. On iPhone and iPad, the iTunes Store app remains the option for buying music, movies and TV shows rather than paying for a monthly subscription. On Mac, music purchases now happen in the Music app, while TV and movie purchases live in the TV app. On current macOS versions, iTunes is legacy software; Finder manages wired syncing, backups, restores and software updates. The iTunes name survives because people still associate it with Apple's storefront and personal libraries, but the original all-purpose application is largely gone.