New iTunes Coming in October: Simplifying UI, New Mini Player, Redesigned Store

Apple has announced brand new versions of iTunes for the iPhone, iPad and OSX. The store is completely redesigned, simplifying usability and creating a more seamless experience across both desktop and mobile devices.

On the iPhone and iPad, the user interface is completely redesigned and landscape mode has been highly optimzied, inviting swideways swiping to browse through content and search results. Additionally, Facebook is deeply integrated into the iTunes, bringing the "Like" button to every app page and allowing for easy sharing via the Facebook graph.

iTunes search has also been improved, and now searches across your entire library, including music and video. Searching is now inline, so you won't lose your place in your library and clicking on a search result bring you to the album or playlist and double-clicking will immediately play the selection.

Artist's pages are more robust, as well. These pages now include band tour dates as well as photos that artists choose to share.

The desktop version of iTunes also got a facelift and now has an edge to edge design and a simplified interface. Clicking on an album expands the image to the middle of the screen without opening up a new window. Creating playlists is much easier with this new interface, with seamless split screening, allowing you to hop back to your music library without closing your playlist. The "coming next" view allows you to see what's next in your queue.

There is also a new mini player view for iTunes, which is small and discrete but features powerful control and functionality, including the advanced search feature. Buttons on the mini controller allow for basic library control.

iCloud is now built directly into iTunes, allowing access to your full library, both online and local, regardless of device. You can start a movie or playlist on one device and continue seamlessly from another device, similar to Amazon's Whispersync.

The iTunes Store on the desktop more closely mirrors the iTunes Store on mobile devices, continuing Apple's trend of making the transition between dekstop and mobile more seamless. The new iOS Mountain Lion, which was released in July, bring numerous features from iOS to the desktop, including Notes, Reminders and the Notification center.