iTunes Match: $24.99/year, Matches Ripped Tunes, Offers Them In The Cloud

[MacRumors]

Today, in addition to Lion, iOS 5 and the other iCloud features, Apple rolled out iTunes in the Cloud. Free for songs you've purchased through iTunes, and for $24.99/year for a new service called iTunes Match.




Syncing music is a pain, but iCloud will try to make that easier -- at least for song's you get through iTunes. Songs you've already purchased will show up in a purchase history and any music purchased can be re-downloaded to any device at no additional charge. Steve said it was the "first time we've seen this in the music industry."

If you buy a song on your Mac in iTunes, it gets pushed (not streamed) to mobile devices and vice versa. You'll always have your songs, automatically, wherever you are, on up to 10 devices. All this, for purchased songs, is free.

As far as music you've ripped yourself, iTunes has 18 million songs in the music store and Apple will use a feature called iTunes Match to give you the same benefits on songs you've ripped, as songs you've purchased. Library is scanned and matched and any songs that remain can be uploaded. Songs that are matched are upgraded to 256KBps, AAC, DRM-free, with all the benefits above, including push syncing and all the rest.

It's $24.99 per year, even for "20,000 songs."

Article Link: iTunes Match: $24.99/year, Matches Ripped Tunes, Offers Them In The Cloud

[cxny]

Wow! That's better than I expected. Is 20,000 an example or a cap?

[ThisIsNotMe]

Unmatched content will be uploaded; upload time varies depending on amounts uploaded.

http://www.apple.com/icloud/features/

Interesting

[nemaslov]

So I have almost 50,000 songs. Mostly ripped from my own CD collection. Do I have to pay in multiples of 24.99 per year? Or was that just an example? Limitless for 24.99?

[toddybody]

Im sorry, but that just seems like an incredible offer. Hesitation over my mostly non-iTunes ripped music was the biggest concern I had in the "iCloud". This is awesome.

[MacBoucher]

The Apple web page says Download iTunes 10.3 but it's still a link to 10.2 See my screenshot.

[P51Mustangrulz]

So here's what I'm wondering about iTunes Match...

I have a ton of music that was legally purchased through iTunes back before the iTunes Plus format was available.

Suppose they will match that with iTunes Plus versions? (I sure hope so!)

[stridemat]

Originally Posted by nemaslov

So I have almost 50,000 songs. Mostly ripped from my own CD collection. Do I have to pay in multiples of 24.99 per year? Or was that just an example? Limitless for 24.99?

It seems its $24.99 for as much as you want, but will it come to the UK.

[hexonxonx]

Originally Posted by nemaslov

So I have almost 50,000 songs. Mostly ripped from my own CD collection. Do I have to pay in multiples of 24.99 per year? Or was that just an example? Limitless for 24.99?

I could not find any mention of a limit. $24.99/year.

[MathijsDelva]

There's a max of 25.000 songs..

[mattwolfmatt]

What about movies and TV shows I've purchased?

What about music that isn't on itunes? I have 6000 songs, much of it classical. Probably 4000 isn't on itunes.

Just wondering . . .

[iScott428]

Originally Posted by P51Mustangrulz

So here's what I'm wondering about iTunes Match...

I have a ton of music that was legally purchased through iTunes back before the iTunes Plus format was available.

Suppose they will match that with iTunes Plus versions? (I sure hope so!)

From what it sounds like they will try and match everything and if the music is matched that you will get the upgraded 256kbps version...

[Rodimus Prime]

Originally Posted by cxny

Wow! That's better than I expected. Is 20,000 an example or a cap?

Cap.

I honestly call this DOA because we have to pay a $25 a year label tax. Compared to Google Music same 20k worth of songs is 100% free. Apple we have to pay $25 a year to have access to the same songs we already paid for.

[jav6454]

Piracy Laundry.... right there.

[jlgolson]

Originally Posted by cxny

Wow! That's better than I expected. Is 20,000 an example or a cap?

I'd imagine it's an example. Haven't seen anything concrete, but I believe it's good for as many songs as you want.

[MathijsDelva]

Available in beta now in the U.S. only and requires iOS 4.3.1 on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 (GSM model), iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), iPad, or iPad 2, or a Mac or PC with iTunes 10.3. Previous purchases may be unavailable if they are no longer in the iTunes Store. Download iTunes 10.3 free.

Requires iOS 5 on iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), iPad, or iPad 2, or a Mac computer with OS X Lion or a PC with Windows Vista or Windows 7 (Outlook 2007 or 2010 recommended). Limit 25,000 songs. iTunes purchases do not count against limit.

Unmatched content will be uploaded; upload time varies depending on amounts uploaded.

Upload time varies depending on amounts uploaded.

Unmatched content will not be upgraded.

[iScott428]

Originally Posted by MathijsDelva

There's a max of 25.000 songs..

You sure, I thought they made it pretty clear its limitless...

Ooops Guess not per MathijsDelva response...

[RafaelT]

This is an awesome deal for those with ripped music. I guess those rumors about Apple paying the record companies a lot of money were true.

[rorschach]

I wonder if the upgrade is one-time or if it's only available as long as you're paying $24.99 a month.

In other words, if I pay $24.99, does it simply replace all my non-iTunes song files with higher quality files? If so, people could just pay once to upgrade thousands of songs and then cancel. The benefit of continuing to pay would be that you could upgrade any new songs you add to your library.

[bushido]

damn it, its US only, i just knew this would happen

[mcdermd]

What if my iDevice cannot hold the 30,000+ songs I have in my library? Is this truly just a "push" service and not a "cloud library" I can play from on-the-go?

[BigDukeSix]

So, if I understand this correctly, it will cost me $25/yr to store the matching songs from my ripped CD's on the cloud?

[scott911]

so, does it improve the quality of old itune 128 kbps, transferring it back down to me at a more acceptable 256 kbps?

[doctorjo5]

SJobs said 20,000 because that is the number that google will allow you to upload into Google Music. He was digging directly at google.

Is there really a limit of 25,000? I would be surprised.

[moseleyite]

Originally Posted by stridemat

It seems its $24.99 for as much as you want, but will it come to the UK.

Here's hoping that a deal can be struck - I'd spend £25 quid on this. Fingers crossed.