Apple have released the iTunes software development kit (SDK) for Windows, opening up iTunes functionality to Windows programmers though the Windows Component Object Model (COM) interface.
The SDK includes header files, documentation and sample Jscripts on how to use the iTunes interface.
The release of the SDK means that programmers will now be able to integrate iTunes features into third party programs, including of course, Windows Media Player. This means that it is theoretically possible to build iTunes Music Store support into Window Media Player – but it’s unlikely that Microsoft will be sending users over to Apple’s online shop any time soon.
One thing is almost certain – the SDK mean that Fairplay AAC (Advanced Audio enCoding) support will become much more prevalent as people use the interface in their programs. AAC has received a lot of praise since it has become more popular though the iPod and iTunes store, as it demonstrates great compression ratios and audio quality.
We look forward to seeing what widespread adoption of AAC as a DRM and encoding solution will mean for Windows Media.