(AFP PHOTO / FILES / Kimihiro Hoshino) Apple takes smartphone top spot in U.S: Research Apple will launch an entry-level iPhone: Analyst Apple expected to launch a TV before the end of 2013 Samsung wins access to Apple-HTC deal details HTC 'happy' with Apple settlement

The latest version of iTunes, Apple's multimedia content managment system and online apps and music store, will be optimized for retina screen displays, have a new user interface and will incorporate Facebook and Twitter so that users can share their thoughts on their music collections and tweet about their latest purchases.

According to an email sent from Feiyer, a German music distribution company, to its clients that was posted on Mac Rumors on Wednesday, a totally revamped iTunes featuring high-resolution images is "about to be released within the next days" and users will "have the possibility to view pictures and galleries to every artist in iTunes."

The new iTunes was originally scheduled for public demonstration in September and a launch in October, only for Apple to issue a statement saying that it wasn't ready: "The new iTunes is taking longer than expected and we wanted to take a little extra time to get it right," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told CNET. "We look forward to releasing this new version of iTunes with its dramatically simpler and cleaner interface, and seamless integration with iCloud before the end of November."