New iTunes 9 leaks

A fresh collection of purported iTunes 9 screenshots shows both new and previously-hinted features. Within the latter category is Facebook integration, now shown as allowing people to display playlists and purchased tracks in their personal news feed. Items in the feed link back to the iTunes Store, as a means of pushing Apple's music sales.

Also shown in the screenshots is built-in DVD playback, complete with chapter selection options. iTunes is already capable of playing downloaded or imported videos, but has not been able to directly read movie discs, a function typically reserved for separate apps on both Mac and Windows PCs. Other reports have suggested that iTunes 9 will finally enable native Blu-ray support on Macs.

An unexpected feature is third-party device sync. Though such devices can currently sync through secondary software, or by fooling iTunes into treating hardware like an iPod, Apple has generally excluded other companies from native sync as a means of bolstering iPod and iPhone sales. If leaks are accurate, they could be a sign that Apple is worried about the universal sync support in competing apps, such as Winamp or Windows Media Player. The company has also taken flak for disrupting Palm Pre sync.

by MacNN Staff