Apple’s Mac operating system and Microsoft’s Windows operating system are two of the most widely used computers. The two companies have proven to be highly competitive with each other.
As a result, there has been identical software throughout the years. QuickTime and Windows Media Player are two such multimedia frameworks.
Key Takeaways
- QuickTime is a media player developed by Apple, while Windows Media Player is a product of Microsoft.
- Both media players support audio and video formats, but QuickTime focuses on Apple-specific formats, and Windows Media Player targets Windows-centric formats.
- Both applications allow users to organize, play, and stream media but have different user interfaces and features.
QuickTime vs Windows Media Player
QuickTime is a high-quality playback multimedia framework created by Apple Inc. that can handle many different types of media files. Windows Media Player is a multimedia player known for its ease of use and integration with Windows, which can play many different types of media files.
QuickTime is a media player and multimedia framework that was developed by Apple in 1991 when multimedia in operating systems were introduced. It is used to handle videos, pictures, audio files, etc., in Apple’s own Mac operating system.
QuickTime’s supported file formats include Apple’s specified .mov and .qt.
Windows Media Player is a media player and library that was developed by Microsoft in 1991 when Windows 3.0 with multimedia extensions.
It is used for accessing audio, videos, pictures, etc., on Microsoft’s own Windows operating system. Windows Media Player’s supported file formats include .asf, .wma, .wmv, etc.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | QuickTime | Windows Media Player |
|---|---|---|
| Developers | It was developed by Apple. | It was developed by Microsoft. |
| Compatibility | It is compatible with Mac OS. | It is compatible with Windows OS. |
| File Format | It supports a few formats such as .mov, and .qt. | It supports almost all file formats. |
| Optimization | It is highly optimized. | It has a few bugs and crashes. |
| Unique Features | Recording, editing capabilities, etc. | Playback music, Visualizations, etc. |
What is QuickTime?
QuickTime is a media player and multimedia framework that was developed by Apple in 1991 when multimedia in operating systems were introduced.
It is used to handle videos, pictures, audio files, etc., in Apple’s own Mac operating system. QuickTime’s supported file formats include Apple’s specified .mov and .qt.
Apple provides excellent features and support for QuickTime. It has an abundance of features, including synchronized graphics, time-based synchronization, created recordings, alternate languages, subtitles, etc.
QuickTime is critically acclaimed for its stability and optimization. However, Apple has various limitations to keep the ecosystem secure. Unlike in Windows Media Players, Users of QuickTime are bound to what is provided by Apple only.
Third-party plug-ins, customizations, and .srt subtitles do not work.
Quicktime was also made available to the Windows operating system in 1994. However, it was discontinued in 2016 to protect the Apple ecosystem and reduce the risk of vulnerabilities.
QuickTime 7.7.9 was the last Windows release of QuickTime. As of now, Apple provides QuickTime X, which is the latest version of QuickTime. Apple did not update the older versions of QuickTime for the newer software, and hence, they are not compatible anymore.
What is Windows Media Player?
Windows Media Player is a media player and library that was developed by Microsoft in 1991 when Windows 3.0 with multimedia extensions. It is used for accessing audio, videos, pictures, etc., on Microsoft’s own Windows operating system.
Windows Media Player’s supported file formats include .asf, .wma, .wmv, etc.
It comes with an abundance of useful features such as playback music, a library, visualizations, portable device sync, disk burning, online music stores, etc.
It has always been critically acclaimed as it offered far better features than the competition. Nevertheless, Windows Media Player had several drawbacks.
The media player offers limited sound quality choices, interruptions in slow DSL connections, small album cover art, etc.
Windows Media Player was also made available to Apple’s Mac OS X. However, it was discontinued in 2009 due to Apple’s QuickTime’s lack of features.
Windows Media Player 12 was the latest version, and it was released along with Windows 7 in 2009. Earlier versions of Windows Media Player can run on older versions of Windows, and with the release of Windows 8, Microsoft replaced it with Groove Music. Hence, Windows Media Player is now only compatible with older operating system versions.
Main Differences Between QuickTime and Windows Media Player
- QuickTime is for Mac OS, whereas Windows Media Player is for Windows OS.
- QuickTime is comparatively far more optimized as compared to Windows Media Player.
- QuickTime supports only limited file formats, whereas Windows Media Player supports almost all file formats.
- QuickTime is highly bound when it comes to additional features, whereas Windows Media Player allows more freedom to its users.
- QuickTime has many editing capabilities, whereas Windows Media Player doesn’t.
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
The article was educational, and I appreciated the depth the author went into explaining the features, compatibility, and development of QuickTime and Windows Media Player.
I believe the details provided in the comparison were very accurate. It is clear that the author knows about the topic.
Although I found the article interesting, it took a very biased stance. The author seems to be a Mac enthusiast. A more neutral point of view could have been more objective.
I must disagree. The article emphasized several times that Windows Media Player has more features and formats than QuickTime. I think it was fair.
I respect your opinion, but I understood that the comparison presented technical similarities and differences between both systems.
The article provides a great comparison about QuickTime and Windows Media Player. The explanation is clear and complete, providing important technical aspects of both.
I firmly agree with you, indeed, the article is very insightful and provides a full picture comparing the features of each player.
The comparison is well detailed and thorough, but I am confused by the lack of other less known multimedia frameworks. I expected a broader comparison.
The post is a little biased towards QuickTime, but the technical information about these media players is well explained. It allows readers to understand the different functions of each one.