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iTunes LPs are about to be a thing of the past.
After almost 10 years, Apple will halt submission of iTunes LP packages this month. Those who previously purchased LPs will still have access to them.
While music lovers and vinyl collectors may know LP to stand for “long-playing,” Apple uses the term to identify the specific bundle of music with pictures, lyrics, and a more in-depth experience than a typical album, calling it an “interactive, multimedia experience for albums in iTunes.”
According to a email sent by Apple to industry partners obtained by Metro, Apple confirmed their plans to deprecate the music bundles. The email was from a “The iTunes Store” email and signed by “The Apple Music Team.” The note was titled “The End of iTunes LPs.”
“Apple will no longer accept new submissions of iTunes LPs after March 2018,” the company wrote, ‘Existing LPs will be deprecated from the store during the remainder of 2018. Customers who have previously purchased an album containing an iTunes LP will still be able to download the additional content using iTunes Match.’
Fewer than 500 albums ever used the LP format during their release. Apple also did not feature the LP format, choosing not to optimize use on mobile devices.
Many have suggested Apple is planning to close digital downloads and highlight Apple Music in exchange for the current iTunes system. However, Apple has denied any plans to shut down the iTunes Music store and stop selling downloads.
