iTunes getting a major makeover, slated for October release

Love it or hate it, we all spend a lot of time in iTunes on our Macs, iPhones, iPads and what have you. Apple announced a major update for iTunes, calling it "dramatically simpler" for using your own media files, and for navigating the iTunes store.

The new iTunes will look like a large grid, with a simplified UI. Click on any album image and the screen splits to show all the tracks on the album. Click on a song and it starts playing. You can move back to your library without closing a playlist and drag-and-drop tracks to wherever you want them. iTunes has also added a "coming next" button so you can change what the next track will be.

The iTunes mini-player, which has long been a part of the software, now features album art -- a nice touch. The iTunes interface will be similar on all Apple devices, with a carousel at the top of the screen showing selections. This view will be consistent for music, movies and even books. The iTunes update will be available in October.