One thing I've always wondered about the iTunes store. If I buy a song/movie/game/other such interesting program or app, will it last forever? Or, so long as Apple and iTunes exists at least. Are the people who provide the apps allowed to suddenly say something like... "Oh you purchased the 2008 edition... well see now we have the 2011 one, so you'll need to buy it again." Or maybe do something similar with version updates. Buy 3.0 for 4.99$, but when 6.0 comes out you'll have to dish out an extra 9.99$
I'm rather new at all this online shopping... so I'm not sure how it works (and I suppose I am somewhat suspicious of the process), but I would greatly appreciate it if someone could clarify this matter for me.
EDIT:
Another thing that worried me is if and when I decide to change computer, or even move. Can all of my purchases be maintained on my account, regardless of what computer or IP address I wind up using?
PC (Service Pack 3),
Windows XP Pro,
iPad wi-fi 64GB
Regarding the first question, a developer can make a major revision to an app and charge for it. Just like the updates to Mac OSX Leopard are free but you have to pay to go up to Snow Leopard. The developer may have to rename the major upgrade app though.
Regarding the second question, all you have to do is use the same iTunes account. Computer or IP does not matter. Just be aware that only apps can be re-downloaded for free. Other purchases can't. However, is rare circumstances call itunes has resulted in other things being re-downloaded for free.
Apps only... so what about movies for example. If I purchase a film and then change to a new computer, setting up my old iTunes account on it and everything, will I lose that purchased movie?
If you change computers you can copy/move your iTunes library to your new computer. If you upgrade Macs, there is Migration Assistant that helps move stuff to your new Mac.
Really?
I thought that Apple was being all super controlling regarding copying songs and movies from one computer to the next. Are you sure there isn't some hidden feature that is going to pop up and shout out "NON REGISTERED COMPUTER USER DETECTED. DELETING ALL CONTENT." or something along those lines.
'cause... that's happened a lot to me with iPods and multiple computers.
When you connect your iPad to a new computer you have to allow iTunes to erase all stuff on the iPad and replace it with the stuff on the new computer. That is why you have to move stuff before you sync to a new computer. You can also use home sharing in iTunes. That allows up to five commuters to share stuff. What apple really does not allow is copying/moving stuff stuff from the iPad to a new computer.
So if I use an en external hard drive or a flash drive, I can transfer my iTunes-purchased films onto my future computer. So long as that future computer logs into my Apple account. Correct?
It depends on what you're talking about. These days (since late 2009), music bought from iTunes does not have DRM, meaning you can buy a track and it will play on anyone's computer, regardless of whose account bought it, and using any software (as long as it plays AAC files).
Movies and TV shows still have DRM, so will only play on a computer using iTunes, or an iPod device, under your iTunes account. Same goes for apps. Although you can have up to five computers authorised at any one time, and any number of devices syncing with those computers.
Playback of music will continue to work regardless of whether Apple exists or not, as there is no DRM. TV and movies (and apps) will continue to work too, but only on computers already set up with your iTunes account - if Apple's servers disappeared tomorrow, you'd have no way of authorising a new computer on your account, only existing ones would still work. You'd be able to sync a new (to you) iPod device, though. Note that I'm excluding rentals for the obvious reason that rentals WILL stop working after the rental period expires, as that's the whole point!
One music service - I forget which - did leave users high and dry when they turned off their licence servers, and any tracks users had bought became useless...
To clarify the matter with apps, at the moment the only way an app will stop working is if It's not compatible with your device's OS. For example, if an app has been written in such a way that it will only work on iOS 4, and not 5, then you could be forced to buy the new version when you upgrade your iOS device. Otherwise, an app will continue to work- but there's nothing stopping a developer from bringing out "My App", and then "My App 2" as a separate app. Most devs launch an app and then update it over time (such updates are always free), but it's not unheard of for someone to decide that their latest work is more like a whole new app, and so sell it as a whole new app. If that sounds sucky, don't forget that that's how it's been with computers for years- just because an app worked with Windows XP doesn't mean it will work with Windows 7. And Autoroute 98 isn't going to get free updates for ever... Oh, one last thing- all the App stores (not just Apple's) have a "remote kill switch" which, in theory, could allow them to remove an app from devices- but it's a last resort kinda thing, like if an app was discovered to actually be malicious. But a dev couldn't say to Apple "please wipe my app from everyone's iPhone so they have to buy the new version".
As for changing computer, you can only re-download apps for free. Music, films and TV are a one-time only deal; if your computer is nicked, and you haven't backed up your iTunes library, you'll have to buy them all again. Apparently in a very small number of cases, Apple have allowed people to re-download stuff, but it's certainly not the norm. Look at it is way, if someone nicked your CD collection, you wouldn't just waltz back into HMV and help yourself to new CDs, would you?
However, you can move your library between machines; so when you replace your computer (even if you go from a pc to a Mac) simply copy your iTunes library to the new one and off you go.
@ Jim
I'm gona have to find one of those How-To-s for PCs... or is the principle mainly the same?
@ I remember hearing about that... not backing up the music files themselves, backing up the library as a whole. Is it possible to backup libraries on an extrnal harddrive? And do I risk losing my current library if I start messing with the iTunes programing and software?
