iTunes arrives in the Microsoft Store after lengthy delay

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iTunes Microsoft Store
Windows 10 S users can now enjoy iTunes, too.
Photo: Microsoft

iTunes is finally available to download from the Microsoft Store for the first time.

The release makes it possible for Windows 10 S users, who cannot install applications obtained from third-party sources, to get their hands on Apple’s popular entertainment platform. This version of iTunes is exactly the same as the one available through Apple’s website.

iTunes has been compatible with Windows since April 2003, when Apple rolled out its version 4.0 update that introduced the iTunes Store. Steve Jobs famously said that making the app available on Microsoft’s operating system was “like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell.”

Apple has maintained Windows support ever since, allowing users of the world’s biggest desktop platform to sync their iOS devices, purchase content from the iTunes Store, and now enjoy Apple Music. But it ran into a problem when Microsoft launched Windows 10 S.

Windows 10 S won’t run regular iTunes

Microsoft designed Windows 10 S to be a streamlined, more secure, and more efficient alternative to its primary Windows 10 platform. It’s mostly intended for affordable notebooks with budget hardware, some of which aren’t powerful enough to run traditional Windows 10 perfectly.

Windowes 10 S looks and feels exactly the same, and offers many of the same features, but there’s one big difference: users can only download apps from the Microsoft Store. They do not have the ability to download iTunes — or other popular apps like Google Chrome — from the web.

Apple had to bring iTunes to the Microsoft Store to reach Windows 10 S users, then. It originally promised a release before the end of 2017, but later delayed it, telling ZDNet that it needed  “a little more time to get it right.” Now the wait is finally over.

iTunes debuts in the Microsoft Store

iTunes is finally available to download from the Microsoft Store, Microsoft has confirmed. It’s exactly the same as the version found on Apple’s website, so you won’t miss out on anything — and it’s available to traditional Windows 10 users, too.

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