Apple is reportedly walking back on an earlier commitment to make iTunes available to the Microsoft Store before 2017 ends.
The company said more time and further work are required before an optimal version of iTunes can be finalized and deployed on the Windows 10 platform.
The latest update came as a huge setback specifically for Windows 10 S users, who can only install Apple's digital content player and management app via the Microsoft Store. The Windows 10 S is a watered-down version of the original OS and is chiefly designed for apps ported through the Microsoft Store.
No specific reasons were given on the delayed release, but Apple made clear that the plan for Windows 10 S users to experience iTunes in all its glory will still push through. Earlier in May, Apple and Microsoft have indicated of iTunes' impending inclusion to the exclusive Window 10 ecosystem. It was upbeat then that the plan will be realized within the calendar year 2017.
Getting iTunes Right
In a statement, Apple has essentially confirmed it remains hard at work on the iTunes for the Microsoft app storefront. It appears more tweaks will be applied before the final cut of the software can get a definite release date.
"We have been working with Microsoft to deliver the full iTunes experience to our customers and we need a little more time to get it right," a spokesperson for the Cupertino-based company said.
In addition, Apple provided no concrete details on when exactly in 2018 the iTunes rollout for Windows 10 S is happening.
Big Disappointment
The news is seen as a blow to the Windows 10 S crowd, who have been anticipating the iTunes landing on Microsoft Store since Apple issued the confirmation earlier this year that indeed the app is touching down. Apple giving iTunes access to Windows 10 S is regarded as a big deal, as the original app is not configured to work in the environment.
A standalone download is available, but Windows 10 S users are left out on this channel. The latest version of the Microsoft OS is touted as the lighter build and geared to compete with Google's Chrome OS. That means the 10 S came packed with considerable restrictions, among them the inability to run applications coded for the desktop setting.
On the other hand, the lightweight build and limitations deliberately imposed on Windows 10 S also translate to simplicity in functions and features, increased system security, and improved performance. These core OS characteristics are supposedly the key to understand what 'S' on Windows 10 S stands for.
