Apple expected to close iTunes after 18 years

（苹果预计将关闭运营了 18 年的 iTunes)

podcast n.播客

supersede v.取代

reposition v.重新定位

revolutionary a.革命性的

*track n.单曲；小路；轨迹，踪迹

sophistication n.复杂；老练

*demonstrate n.证明；表现；演示；游行示威

ephemeral a.短暂的

rumour/rumor n.谣言

circulate v.循环，传播，流通，传递

the writing on the wall: 不详征兆

mould n.模具；类型；霉 v.发霉

Although other companies — including Microsoft and Sony — had considered launching music stores, they “weren’t companies that had demonstrated Apple’s sophistication with regard to software，according to the former Warner Music vice-president Paul Vidich.

尽管包括微软和索尼在内的其他公司都曾考虑推出音乐商店，不过华纳音乐集团的前副总裁保罗·维迪奇表示，这些公司“在软件方面却没有表现出像苹果那样的精湛技术”。

But in the ephemeral world of tech, iTunes — and its use of downloads — quickly became old-fashioned as companies including Spotify introduced successful streaming models as “music’s most radically democratic era” began.

在瞬息万变的科技世界里，随着“音乐最彻底的民主时代”开始，包括 Spotify 在内的公司引入了大受欢迎的流媒体模式，iTunes 及其下载功能的使用很快就变得过时了。

The writing seemed to be on the wall for iTunes when the tech company launched Apple Music in 2015, with rumours circulating that iTunes would not exist beyond 2020.

2015 年，这家科技公司推出 Apple Music，这似乎是 iTunes 的不祥之兆，有谣言流传称，iTunes 在 2020 年之后将不复存在。

A streaming service in a similar mould to Spotify, Apple Music signalled a move away from a download model, and arrived at the same time as the company’s radio service.

作为与 Spotify 类似的流媒体服务，Apple Music 标志着下载模式的远去，而且这项业务与该公司的电台服务是同时推出的。