14 DAY TRIAL // Developers running the latest build of iTunes 12 (beta) on their test Macs under Yosemite are reporting major aesthetic changes coming to the storefront.
The iTunes Store in iTunes 12 is a much more streamlined version of the current storefront, and it takes massive cues from the OS it comes bundled on: Yosemite.
A match made in heaven
iTunes and the iTunes Store remain closely integrated with one another even in the app’s 12th iteration. Despite some rumblings (a while ago) that Apple should change the format and separate the two into their own game, the Mac maker wouldn’t barge.
iTunes 12 follows the same model and includes the digital storefront in a tab at the top of the app’s UI. While in the iTunes Store, a number of special icons appear at the top left of the window. These represent the various sections of the storefront, including the music store, the video store, the App Store, and more.
The card-like ads for the top content in a given section no longer show up in cover flow mode, and they can be swiped through more easily with gestures or mouse actions. The entire interface is cleaner and thicker (but not in a bad way). Buttons and text reflect the graphical changes Apple made in OS X Yosemite.
How to test iTunes 12 today
All you need to take iTunes 12 for a spin today is a paid developer account with Apple and the last OS X Yosemite GM candidate. Simply waltz over to the Mac Dev Center, obtain your Yosemite test build via a download code assigned to your account, and then proceed to install Yosemite GM on your machine.
Note that Yosemite is still in beta (at least officially, not necessarily technically since it’s reached Golden Master status), so you shouldn’t rely on it for work / business purposes.
When to expect iTunes 12 to hit mainstream audiences
Apple has plans to deploy OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) this fall. The company is holding a special event next Thursday, and there’s a pretty good chance that the new OS will be rolled out on that day. iTunes 12 comes bundled with Yosemite.
The software will be released free of charge to all Mac owners who are running at least OS X 10.6.6 (Snow Leopard), and it will be made available for download through the Mac App Store. Unlike with iOS releases (for iPhones and iPads), OS X downgrades are possible if the user feels uncomfortable using the latest version of the Mac operating system.