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An Eye for an Ear

May 10, 2005 › Sandy McMurray | comment

Yesterday Apple quietly upgraded iTunes to version 4.8. It's a curious improvement because it includes what appears to be a not-ready-for-prime-time feature, video cataloguing and playing.
You can now drag 'n' drop video clips into iTunes where they will be added to your library, just like music. You can even play the films full-screen or in a separate window. But, the Genre field of iTunes has not been changed to reflect video categories (like Romantic Comedy, Thriller or More Jerry Bruckenheimer Dreck) So, what's it good for?

Turtleneck Speculation
Well, right now you can get free video features when you buy selected tunes. Interesting, but just a sampler of what's to come. The new feature is really just rumour fodder. Is Apple going to start selling videos? Will the next iPod play videos? Is Apple in talks with the major studios to product the iTunes Movie Store? Is this why Quicktime now supports H.264 video? Will Steve Jobs ever change his turtleneck?
I wish Apple hadn't added video right now. It just muddies the water, makes iTunes feel half-baked and is garnering more buzz (including this posting) than other more useful features that have been added, like being able to sync your calendar and contacts to your iPod without using iSync.
It also suggests that iTunes will get more and more like a digital media Swiss Army knife and less like an elegant music can opener. Me, I like my appliances single purpose.

May 10, 2005 › Sandy McMurray | comment on this item