Designer mocks up an Apple Music without the iTunes

By David Nield August 2, 2015

how to update iTunes — Andrew Ambrosino

In its short lifetime, Apple Music has had both praise and criticism heaped on its shoulders — you can read our own take on the streaming music service for more details — but it seems everyone agrees that iTunes is an unwieldy and bloated software package that should be retired gracefully. Now a graphic artist has imagined what Apple’s new music service would look like without the old app.

Designer and developer Andrew Ambrosino wanted to cut down on the clutter and has produced a series of concept images showing what a standalone Apple Music might look like. The desktop software he envisions is much more streamlined and easy on the eyes, but everything fits in seamlessly with the aesthetics of OS X Yosemite and El Capitan. He’s even added a new miniplayer for good measure.

Andrew Ambrosino

“I, like many, had very high hopes for Apple Music,” writes Ambrosino. “I, like many, was a Spotify user looking for a better experience and a mature Apple-esque ‘final word’ on how to design a streaming music app. And I, like many, have had nothing but disappointment for Apple’s newest service.”

“For Apple Music to win, iTunes as we know it must die,” he continues. “Anyone who uses Mac regularly with Apple Music is clamoring for a standalone Apple Music app, just like on iOS, and just like Photos on OS X. Being a designer, complaining about it wasn’t enough for me. I was curious to see what I could put together, so I took three or four days to work on a concept.”

And it’s hard not to be impressed by what Ambrosino has put together — a dedicated music app for the desktop that looks like it would be a pleasure to use. What you do think of the design? And what’s been your experience of the Apple Music experience so far? Feel free to weigh in in the comments.

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Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

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