Does iTunes work (well) on Ubuntu?

Question

Is there an alternative to iTunes where I can buy music/back up phone?

Solution

iTunes is a closed-source program like Skype. So, there is no source code to compile from for Linux or any *nix based system. Also, Apple does not provide any binaries for Ubuntu, or even for any *nix based system. You have 4 options:

Option 1: Use a Windows emulator

1. Open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T), and run apt-get install wine.

2. Get iTunes for Windows at apple.com

3. Go to the terminal again (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run wine ./NAME_OF_EXECUTABLE.exe and replace NAME_OF_EXECUTABLE.exe with the name of executable.

4. Install as needed and when needed, run wine ./NAME_OF_APPLICATION.exe.

Disclaimer: Sometimes, wine will not work and use it at your own risk. You also may have issues and bugs with the installed application (iTunes)

Option 2: libimobiledevice

1. Go to Ubuntu Software Center, and check that libimobiledevice4 is installed and latest version.

2. Plug in device, and let the device mount automatically.

3. Open Nautilus, and find your device in the left column.

4. Select all the files, and copy to a directory in your home directory. Here's a script to do that:

    #!/bin/bash
   [ -d ~/PhoneBackup ] || mkdir ~/PhoneBackup
       PATHOFPHONE=df -h|tail -n 1|awk '{print $6}'
       read -p "Is $PATHOFPHONE the location of files (yes/no)?" yesorno
       if [[ $yesorno == "yes" ]]; then
       echo Copying
   if diff $PATHOFPHONE $HOME/PhoneBackup|grep -iv common 2> /dev/null 
   then difference=diff $PATHOFPHONE $HOME/PhoneBackup|grep -iv common
   if [[ echo $difference == "" ]]; then
       echo "Nothing to do... already backed up" 
       else
        rm -rf ~/PhoneBackup;mkdir -p ~/PhoneBackup; cp -r $PATHOFPHONE/* PhoneBackup/.
   fi
   
   
   else echo Everything already backed up
   exit
   fi
   fi
   

On all the tests, this script has worked. Feel free to post any bugs. As a workaround, just cp PHONEDIRECTORY ~/BACKUP.

Option 3: Music Syncing

1. Use Banshee or Amarok Player to sync your music. Use the Ubuntu Software Center to get those.
2. To sync, follow instructions on many other guides. By far, this is the easiest idea out of the four.

Option 4: Run a Windows VM

1. If you have a copy of Windows lying around, put it in a Virtual Machine, and use iTunes from there.
2. Install kvm from the Ubuntu Software Center. Load the iso from the menu.
3. Install iTunes from the Virtual Machine. For more info, do a Google on virtual machines for Ubuntu.

BTW, I use option 2 almost every month with no issues. Of course, there are some bugs, but I made it really quickly. FWIW, option 4 is just too hard to do and hogs your CPU and RAM. However, it's your choice on what you want to do.

HTH, James

Comments

[headkase]

I'm fairly certain that WINE will not work with the iTunes program. iTunes needs access to the USB port through the Apple driver to manipulate the device. WINE doesn't do that yet.

[micb]

@lolzies "So, there is no source code to compile from for Linux or any *nix based system" If im remembering right, Mac OS originated from *nix so OFC then have one that might work on Linux, it might be full of bugs as is and would required some work. But I bet that it is just not worth the effort!