Paul Morris·

iTunes Microsoft Windows Store Release Date Has Been Pushed Back, Apple Confirms

Apple is becoming increasingly efficient when it comes to missing previously reported timescales. HomePod, the company’s Siri-powered speaker, which was meant to launch in time for the festive shopping season, has been delayed and pushed back into “early” 2018.

And now, after initially announcing a partnership with Microsoft which would bring iTunes to the Windows Store before the year’s out, it seems that release is suffering the same level of delays.

It was back in May of this year that Microsoft announced during its Build conference that the two companies were working together to bring a version of iTunes to the Windows Store. The unveiling of Windows 10 S meant that device owners running that operating system would only be able to execute and install software and apps offered and installed directly from the Windows Store.

Currently, Apple offers iTunes as a dedicated download from its own website for Windows users, which means that Windows 10 S users would never be able to use iTunes and everything that it offers on their machines as it doesn’t support classic Windows apps. The promise of a Windows Store version was put in place to combat that issue. An official statement from an Apple spokesperson has confirmed the delay:

We have been working with Microsoft to deliver the full iTunes experience to our customers and we need a little more time to get it right.

At a time when Apple has appeared to have been getting it wrong time-after-time where software and updates are concerned, you can’t blame the company for wanting to “get it right,” but you also have to wonder what the delay is here.

There doesn’t appear to be any decision made on Apple’s part to entirely shelve the project and ignore Windows 10 S users and the newly renamed Microsoft Store, but it’s also evident that Apple’s “need a little more time” statement is generic Cupertino company speak for “we are providing no timescale at all here.”

This is hardly the biggest delay going, and is unlikely to ruffle many feathers, but is definitely a blow for those wanting iTunes and Apple Music on Windows 10 S. Like HomePod, we will have to move into the new year and see if any additional announcements are made by Apple on the subject.

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