Apple iTunes Security Update Signals the End of Support for Windows XP

iTunes Store no longer working for XP users

  iTunes store no longer working on Windows XP

Microsoft pulled the plug on Windows XP on April 8, 2014 and since then, software companies across the world have slowly moved away from this ancient OS, focusing instead on making their apps work on newer versions of Windows.

Apple appears to be doing the same thing as some changes that the company recently made to iTunes security system are causing connectivity issues for all Windows XP users trying to download and purchase content from the store.

Reports swirling around the web suggest that it's all because of an Apple change to the way iTunes clients connect to the store, so computers running Windows XP can no longer access content because the operating system lacks the necessary technology to comply with the new requirements.

Usually, such a thing would be easily fixed with an update released by Microsoft, but given the fact that support for Windows XP has ended, no such thing would ever happen.

The second possible fix would be for Apple to change its security system for iTunes in a way that would allow Windows XP users to connect to the store, but that's again unlikely for now.

Error details

Right now, users whose computers are powered by Windows XP are provided with the following error when trying to access content in the store:

“We could not complete your iTunes request. An unknown error occurred (error 0x80090326).”

The version installed on the Windows XP PC makes no difference, so if you think that it's all because an app update that Apple rolled out recently, it's not. There's no recent update for iTunes for Windows, so it's all just a server-side change that breaks down the store for those on XP.

On the other hand, iTunes still works normally on these Windows XP computers, so in case you're not one of the users who want to buy and download content from the store, you're in luck.

And yet, this could just be the signal to the full end of support for Windows XP for Apple software, but the fruity-named company is usually very reticent in sharing such information, so we'll just have to wait and see how this one develops.