Apple’s latest desktop operating system update, macOS Catalina, will mark the official end of iTunes after nearly two decades. But that transition is proving to be complicated for a certain subset of Mac users who’ve relied on the software to help manage their jobs: DJs.
Apple tells The Verge that along with Catalina’s removal of iTunes, users are also losing XML file support as all native music playback on Macs moves over to the official Music app. XML file support is a popular organizational feature for DJs who use it to sort tracks into playlists and utilize the “Share iTunes Library XML with other applications” option to seamlessly transmit data between apps.
Tons of popular DJ apps, like Serato and Traktor, read XML files, and over the years, iTunes became the de facto way for lots of DJs to sort through their massive file libraries and quickly find tracks while performing.
But Apple’s confirmation means updating to Catalina will replace iTunes with Music, and that, in turn, will break communication between the app and pretty much all existing DJ software. The company says that if a customer is reliant on XML files for DJing, they should avoid updating and continue using their preferred software on macOS Mojave until developers push out fixes.
Additionally, Apple confirmed to The Verge that a previously reported fix saying users can manually export XML files in the Music app is incorrect. Essentially, if you’re a DJ and you have put tons of time into sorting music in your iTunes playlists for whatever software you use, upgrading to Catalina will likely erase all your hard work.
Here is the full statement from Apple:
The Music app on the Mac is brand new with a modern library format. The frameworks for access to the library are still supported for developers to directly access music on your Mac, however, XML file support is no longer available on macOS Catalina. Apple is working closely with app developers to make sure their software is updated and compatible with Catalina. However, customers that are using an app that is not supported should contact the developer directly, or if it’s a mission-critical app in their workflow, we recommend they continue using that app on macOS Mojave until the developer updates. iTunes on Windows has not changed, so apps should function as normal.