Alternate mp3 apps?

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Alternate mp3 apps?

I'm sorry Apple, but you're about to lose this life-long Apple user for how you've castrated iTunes. Frustrated to no end with the changes that are what APPLE wants to increase its $$$ at the cost of user functionality. The simple task of buying music is so f*cked up as to make me wonder why they still try to sell music. Can't shuffle genres, can't easily play just what's on your iPhone, syncing is so cryptic now compared to the past. When I go back to my old, 30g iPod it's so EASY to play/deal stuff. /rantoff

I doubt Apple would allow mp3 apps in the app store, but asking anyway: anyone using alternate mp3 apps that actually work, allow one to play their own files, and provide a usable sync feature?

Those features, IMHO, are gone from iTunes, so short of nuking all my iPhone music and using my old iTouch instead, are there options out there?

Posted on Feb 13, 2016 8:54 AM

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Answer 1

ed2345

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Feb 13, 2016 3:05 PM in response to nabu99

The simple task of buying music is so f*cked up as to make me wonder why they still try to sell music.

That is a lot, but specifically to the question of buying music files for download: Check out Amazon Digital Music and Google Play Music. They both sell downloads in MP3 format, which can play in iTunes or virtually any other player, program, or device without conversion.

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Answer 2

nabu99 Author

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Feb 14, 2016 6:03 AM in response to ed2345

Thanks. I use those and have for years, but not seamless media mangagement. This Wired article from last year sums it up well, and less ranty than I did ;-) :

Most of iTunes’ latest enhancements exist solely to promote the recommendation-driven Apple Music, app downloads, and iCloud. Users interested only in iTunes’ media management features—people with terabytes of MP3s who want a solid app to catalog and organize their libraries—feel abandoned as Apple moves away from local file storage in favor of cloud-based services. These music fans (rechristened “power users” in the most recent lingo) are looking for alternatives to Apple’s market-dominating media management software, and yearn for a time when listening to music didn’t require being quite so connected.

Apple's lost me and I'm ready to jump elsewhere and abandon their Music app, iTunes for media, etc. Just a matter of the what.

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Answer 3

ed2345

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Feb 14, 2016 6:10 AM in response to nabu99

There is no question that Apple and its customers are shifting their focus from managing files on the computer to streaming.

Media Monkey used to be considered the cream of the crop of music management software. I haven't looked into it lately, but check it out:

http://www.mediamonkey.com/

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Answer 4

nabu99 Author

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Feb 14, 2016 6:14 AM in response to ed2345

Thanks, but I'm all Mac and haven't owned a Windows box in over 10 years. I'm checking out Swinsian but no iOS companion app. Search continues.

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Answer 5

ed2345

Level 9

62,486 points

Feb 14, 2016 7:01 AM in response to nabu99

nabu99 wrote:

Thanks, but I'm all Mac

OK, I assumed from your opening line "I'm sorry Apple, but you're about to lose this life-long Apple user" that you were looking at alternatives. 😉

I'm checking out Swinsian but no iOS companion app. Search continues.

Haven't heard it mentioned before, but please let the Forum members here know your findings.

Good luck.

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Answer 6

Limnos

Level 10

411,169 points

Feb 14, 2016 10:54 AM in response to nabu99

Only iTunes can sync to an iOS device. If you don't like iTunes then search out the competition for a media player. There are not many. If your device works with an older iTunes you can try downgrading. I still use iTunes 7.5 under Mavericks OS. Mind you, I don't have an Apple media player, nor do I make any purchases from the iTunes Store.

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