Apple announces iTunes U update with iPad Course Creation, Student Discussions & more

Apple recently launched new enhancements for iTunes U, the company’s dedicated educational app. These upgrades now encompass course creation capabilities for iPads, an engaging Student Discussions function, and more comprehensive management tools for teachers’ assistance.

As a company deeply entrenched in the world of education, Apple’s convictions about the vital role iTunes U plays for both students and teachers remain strong. Eddy Cue, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services, shared his enthusiasm for the expanded capabilities of the application. He observed that these new features would facilitate a more personalized educational experience for iPad users.

From July 8, educators can conveniently create, curate, and manage pre-existing lessons directly on their iPads. Furthermore, they can integrate content from a variety of sources like iWork, iBooks Author, or any of the more than 75,000 educational apps available for iPad. The additional feature to use the iPad’s camera to incorporate real-world imagery and videos into lessons adds further convenience for educators.

For students, the new Discussions function adds a social element to the app, promoting smooth interaction between students and teachers. This feature not only allows students to keep track of classroom discussions, delve into fresh topics, and receive instant notifications for each new question or response in ongoing threads, but also enables teachers to participate and moderate these discussions.

Of note, nearly 30,000 Multi-Touch™ e-books have been produced by independent educators and publishers globally.

The upgraded app is accessible to educators in 69 countries, and the materials they create can reach students in up to 155 countries. The complete announcement can be found on Apple’s official website.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect current trends and insights.