Apple has posted a message on its website warning that customers using Windows Vista may experience compatibility issues with iTunes. Hold that upgrade!

According to Apple, iTunes 7.0.2, the latest version released by the Cupertino company, may work with Windows Vista on many typical PCs. But Apple advices that customers wait to upgrade Windows until after the next release of iTunes, available sometime along the next few weeks.
“iTunes 7.0.2 may work with Vista on many typical PCs, but Apple recommends that customers wait to upgrade Windows until after the next release of iTunes which will be available in the next few weeks,” the company stated.

Apple has already identified several compatibility issues with iTunes 7.0.2 and earlier versions. Among these:

* iTunes Store purchases may not play when upgrading to Windows Vista from Windows 2000 or XP;

* iPod models with the “Enable Disk Use” option turned off may be unable to update or restore iPod software, and make changes to iPod settings;

* iPod models configured to Auto Sync and have the “Enable Disk Use” option turned off may require being ejected and reconnected to resync;

* Ejecting an iPod from the Windows System Tray using the “Safely Remove Hardware” feature may corrupt your iPod. To always safely eject an iPod, choose Eject iPod from the Controls menu within iTunes;

* Cover Flow animation may be slower than expected;

* Contacts and calendars will not sync with iPod.

If a user insists to install iTunes on Windows Vista, Apple has a couple of recommendations.

Users should deauthorize all iTunes Store accounts, enable Disk Use on all iPod models, uninstall iTunes and perform a clean install of Windows Vista (Highly recommended but not required).

They should then proceed to reinstall the latest version of iTunes, open iTunes and choose Authorize Computer from the Store menu in iTunes.

A customer who has upgraded to Windows Vista and is still experiencing issues playing iTunes Store purchases can rely on a tiny utility provided by Apple, called iTunes Repair Tool, which can be downloaded from Apple’s site.

A spokesman for Microsoft’s Windows division, Adam Anderson, stated that the company has a dedicated team working with Apple on getting iTunes running smoothly on Vista, and it will keep at it “until they have the program running to the quality level they’re shooting for.”

Microsoft has had a response of its own to this. A spokesman commented that more than 1.5 million hardware and software devices currently work with Vista, while more than 5,000 devices have either been certified for the new operating system, or carry a “Works with Windows Vista” logo.

“We are also committed to ensuring that all partners, including Apple, receive all the resources they need to ensure that their applications work with Windows Vista,” he said.

Apple has sold 90 million iPods since 2001.