iTunes Match stores your complete music library in iCloud, allowing you to enjoy your collection anywhere, anytime, on any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or computer.
iTunes Match beta is currently available to developers in the United States. Beta subscribers will receive iTunes Match service during the beta period plus an additional 3 months for free with their 12 month paid subscription.
To get started with iTunes Match, devs simply download the current version of iOS 5 beta and iTunes 10.5 beta 6.1 with iTunes Match. Once installed, choose Turn On iTunes Match from the Store menu, and click “Subscribe for $24.99.”
Developers are told to maintain a local backup of their iTunes library as well as any music added to iCloud. Apple will periodically reset your iCloud library during the beta and it is critical that devs backup their music regularly. Some features and optimizations of iTunes Match will not be available during the beta.
Ah… UK are always the 2nd to get MORE AWESOMNESS!
I was facing the prospect of re-ripping my entire iTunes library in 256k AAC and along comes ITunes Match. Yet another reason to give thanks to Steve.
My question with iTunes Match is if you cancel the service next year, do you still have your old copies of the music you originally had? Does iTunes Match delete your old copies? (Thankfully, I had the insight a while back to keep the bit rate of my ripped CD’s higher than the standard 128 kpbs spec that was default in iTunes.)
For those that need the service, it does have an apparent value.
I read comments from someone with no regard for the NDA (or who wasn’t a developer) that had a 192kbps mp3 file, had it matched by iTunes, deleted the mp3 and downloaded the file via iCloud. They then had a 256kbps file in Finder that appeared no different than any other iTunes 256. Of course no one knows what happens when they cancel the service but it appears as if the file is no different than any other file.
An interesting detail is that utilizing the match beta (requiring iOS 5 v.6, iTunes 10.5.1b) will disable iTunes syncing with your music library relegating your device to a streaming music player. When match was first announced in conjunction with the iCloud & iTunes beta out now for everyone (download purchased content anytime, anywhere, to all devices) I think everyone assumed match was the same: scan your library, then just download away from iTunes directly. This isn’t how it’s going to work and Match ISN’T a library back up. While a streaming service seems nice it isn’t practical. At home would you really stream to an ATV over a web connection to lesser quality files or locally from your actual library in the other room? Also it’s a huge mistake by Apple if I can’t keep a local music library on my iPhone if I also want to stream from Match.
I thought that it was a syncing service, rather than a streaming service.
Everything I read on this seems to contradict everything else I read.
Do you know this to be true, or are you speculating?
I assume from your handle that you likely have more insight into this than most.
I’ve spent a lot of time and effort re-tagging my music library. Would all that work be lost if I subscribe?