In line with previous reports from February and April, Bloomberg now reports that Apple is preparing to release iTunes 11 by year’s end. The release is expected to be a major revamp of iTunes, and include tighter integration with iCloud, as well as new music sharing features.
Apple will unveil the changes by year’s end, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. The company will more closely integrate its iCloud file- storage service with iTunes so users can more seamlessly access and manage their music, videos and downloaded software apps across different Apple gadgets, the people said. Apple also plans new features for sharing music, the people said.
The update is also expected to improve how people manage their files, and will include improvements and changes to the way users discover new music and apps, and how they access iTunes purchase on various Apple devices. Apple acquired a content discovery firm called Chomp earlier this year, and their technology will likely be used as a basis for new discovery features.
Also according to the report, the sharing feature will allow users to share entire songs with friends, which they can listen to for free for a limited amount of time – something which Apple has apparently been negotiating with record labels to secure the rights for.