Apple first introduced the brand new version of iTunes back in September, promising to launch the redesigned library alongside iOS 6 on Sept. 19.
The Cupertino giant later pushed back that date to October, but that month is now over too and the refreshed iTunes is still not here. Instead, Apple has officially announced yet another delay, this time pegging the launch in November. The company did not offer an exact date in November, but a spokesman said the iTunes refresh will definitely arrive before the end of the month.
"The new iTunes is taking longer than expected and we wanted to take a little extra time to get it right," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told All Things D. "We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November."
It remains uncertain at this point whether the delay is related to Apple's recent management changes, including the departure of top executive Scott Forstall. According to All Things D, Neumayr declined to comment in this regards.
On the other hand, iTunes is the responsibility of media boss Eddy Cue, not Forstall. Moreover, Apple's last major software update drew a firestorm of criticism over its Maps application, and ultimately resulted in a public apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook. Meanwhile, the company's much-rumored Internet radio service might also play a role in the iTunes refresh delay.
Apple's last major iTunes refresh, version 10, launched back in Sept. 2010 with the addition of Apple's social music networking experiment - Ping, which the company has since nixed. Since version 10, Apple has added more features, including iTunes Match, iTunes in the cloud, and 1080p from the iTunes Store.
When it finally does arrive, the revamped iTunes is supposed to offer a better layout and improved performance, full-library search function, easier playlist creation, and better iCloud integration. It is also expected to come with a completely redesigned mini-player, a full-window interface for Mac or PC, a new library view, as well as an expandable album view.
It is unclear whether the new software will require less computing power and storage on Apple's devices, which has long been among the most persistent user complaints. One thing that is certain for now is that the iTunes refresh has been pushed back one month, and Apple has already placed a "coming in November" tag on its official iTunes page.
