“iTunes” tops the most searched for apps in the Windows Store so it’s no surprise that Microsoft is trying to convince Apple to build an app for Windows 8 and Windows RT. Apple’s media player is already available to Windows 8 users but only on the desktop, leaving Windows tablet users with a less than ideal user experience. CNN reports that Microsoft has approached Apple about building a version for its tablets but to no avail.
It’s not surprising that Apple isn’t interested in building iTunes for Windows 8 and Windows RT. The two companies have competing products (iPad and Surface tablets) and there’s little incentive to port Apple’s killer media player to a competitor’s product. However, Apple has had a history of building apps for Windows, as it has done with Safari, iTunes, and QuickTime. Windows desktop users still dominate so it’s in Apple’s best interest to get their products onto them. Windows 8 and Windows RT has seen slow adoption so Apple may not want to waste time and resources developing for a minor platform.
Microsoft is still playing app catch-up with Apple and Android. While Microsoft has secured apps from big names like Netflix and Twitter, its app ecosystem is still very weak. Microsoft CFO, Tami Reller, believes that the Windows Store will have the most popular apps for download in the iTunes App Store by the holiday season. “That’s not just our goal, but it’ll be realistic to achieve that,” says Reller. “We’re almost there.”
In the meantime, Windows tablet users will be stuck using Microsoft’s own Music app.
[Source: CNN Money]
