Try downloading from iTunes onto a Microsoft pc then transferring via MS mediaplayer to a Sansa player with that only reads MP3s or WMA. That’s what I’m having to do...mostly because I’m too cheap to buy apple. And yeah iTunes doesn’t seem (to me anyway) to be as user friendly as it could be.
After 5 years I recently went to Samsung Android, Its different.. I will probably be back to Iphone in 2 years.