Apple releases iTunes 10.2.1, iOS 4.3 next

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Music, Software

Less than a week after Apple released iTunes 10.2 with iOS 4.3 sync support, an update has arrived that seems to lack any new features.

At Apple's iPad 2 reveal last week in San Francisco, CEO Steve Jobs said iOS 4.3 would be available on March 11, the same day the second-generation tablet will go on sale. In anticipation of the update to the mobile platform as well as the new tablet, Apple released iTunes 10.2 last Friday. Then on Tuesday, Apple handed out iTunes 10.2.1, which contained the exact same description as iTunes 10.2.

The update is seemingly identical to the 10.2 version of iTunes, which has an improved version of Home Sharing that lets users stream content from their iTunes library between computers and to an iPad, iPad 2, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (GSM), or iPod touch (third and fourth generation), as long as the device running the iOS 4.3—which means users will have to wait until Friday to take advantage of beefed-up Home Sharing.

Beyond Home Sharing and sync support, most of the other changes between iTunes 10.1 and 10.2 are minor, though the changes from iTunes 10.2 to 10.2.1 seem to be nonexistent.

So why has Apple curiously updated iTunes again so soon? Mobile Burn says the newest version of the program alleviates some bugs and security issues. Bug fixes are usually noted in software update notes, however.

There are murmurings that Apple will release iOS 4.3 ahead of schedule, in anticipation of heavy traffic and an increased number of support calls that usually come with an update to the platform. An early release would give Apple a bit of breathing room before the iPad 2 hits stores and potential chaos ensues on Friday.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the reason for the update.

This article, written by Leslie Horn, originally appeared on PCMag.com and is republished on Gear Live with the permission of Ziff Davis, Inc.