iTunes 11 now launched

 

We were expecting it to be out at the end of October, but the wait is now over: Apple has just released iTunes 11 for Windows and Mac. And it’s not difficult to imagine why there might have been some delays, because this is a significant upgrade.
A revamped interface makes it easier to view your library by songs, albums, artists, videos and more, for instance. And if you click an album, say, it now expands in place, so you can see the track listing and start playing something without ever moving away from the library view.
This new approach means you could quickly have a queue of tracks waiting to be played, of course. The new Up Next feature helps you keep control, though, displaying the tracks you’ve set up so far, and allowing you to delete items (or add others) as you like. And creating full playlists is now also improved, requiring little more than a few drag and drops.

The new-look interface expands your album track listing within the regular library view

Elsewhere, the MiniPlayer has been revamped with many new features. The Up Next list is included here, too, and you can now find and add new tracks without ever having to open the full library.
If you’d like to find new music, then the new “In the Store” button will help, showing you items related to whatever you’re viewing currently (though not in an intrusive way, you won’t get this unless you go looking for it).
The store itself now has a more unified look, so it’ll feel the same whether you’re using your tablet, phone or desktop.
And if you’re a cross-platform user then you’ll also appreciate that iCloud now remembers where you are, so if you pause a movie or podcast on one device, then you can start it on another and carry on exactly where you left off.
Put it all together and iTunes 11 has plenty to explore. If you have a previous version installed then the program should detect the new release already (Help > Check for Updates, if not), otherwise you can download the new release now.

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