Despite Apple's Denial, iTunes Match is Streaming

[SirHaakon]

I don't get it and I don't want it. My music is loaded on my iPod, my phone, my computer. Why do I need all this......? and I am NOT going to pay the carriers for more data, THAT IS for certain.

How much music is on your computer? If it's more than 32GB, it's not all on your iPhone. I don't think it's even about the storage, though. It's about the fact that I can buy or rip a song to my computer, and then pick up my iPhone, walk out the door, and it's automatically on that device too. No more having to manage your music across your desktop and your phone and your laptop and your iPad and... whoops, iPhone is out of space... etc. All your music on all of your devices instantly at the touch of a button. Sounds pretty damn cool to me.

 

[JHankwitz]

those GBs can now be used for downloading other media, and people are now paying $ to get this function of extra space not to mention, this means apple won't have to release devices in higher GB, and thus costs can go down year over year

Exactly! The intent and purpose of the iCloud is not to replace all your devise memory. It's to minimize the need to have 4 TB of storage on every device. You simply rent the space you need from the cloud to make it all available on any of your 8GB devices. I believe you will eventually be able to choose what you want on your device and what you want on the cloud. Like, load several songs or movies before switching to Airplane Mode on a flight or taking the subway.

 

[tipp]

You are mistaken. It supports your iTunes playlists on your iPhone/iPod/iPad.

arn

Can you explain this further? Can you actually copy playlists from iTunes to a device, but not include the song files? Or do you mean that you can create playlists on a device with songs that are in iCloud but not already on the device? Either way would be great.

 

[JAT]

Bolded for emphasis. You said it brother. I really don't get it. "Oh, Apple's 'streaming' is so much better!". Please. One song at a time? You'll be glued to your device the whole time just to keep clicking on individual songs to 'stream' them. Cripes, just sync with iTunes and be done with it.

I just reduced my audio library from 130GB to 86GB, IIRC. Neither of those fit entirely on an iOS device of any sort. If I can put the rest of it in the cloud, I will like it. "Just sync" is a silly comment unless you have little audio to sync.

Hopefully the one song at a time is a beta issue. They can't possibly make that permanent?

 

[rjohnstone]

Did you even read the article you're posting on? Apparently not. From the article itself:

Just read the front page... so much for assuming the pertinent info was included.
This pretty much make this a non-story.

 

[Peace]

Can you explain this further? Can you actually copy playlists from iTunes to a device, but not include the song files? Or do you mean that you can create playlists on a device with songs that are in iCloud but not already on the device? Either way would be great.

I just created a smart playlist on my Mac and it showed up instantly on my iPad.

 

[arn]

Can you explain this further? Can you actually copy playlists from iTunes to a device, but not include the song files? Or do you mean that you can create playlists on a device with songs that are in iCloud but not already on the device? Either way would be great.

The playlists are "synced" from your original iTunes library. So it's a mirror of your main iTunes library.

arn

 

[Dionte]

If only I get get mine to sync, I've tried at least 10 times today. It keeps getting stuck with 50 or less songs to go.

 

[tipp]

Just read the front page... so much for assuming the pertinent info was included.
This pretty much make this a non-story.

It was and is on the front page.

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I just created a smart playlist on my Mac and it showed up instantly on my iPad.

The playlists are "synced" from your original iTunes library. So it's a mirror of your main iTunes library.

arn

This is pretty awesome then. To clarify, all your playlists from iTunes are automatically synced to your devices with or without the songs actually being in them? Can you then "stream" multiple songs in row?

 

[milo]

Hopefully the one song at a time is a beta issue.

Actually, it's not even that, it's just assumption from people who haven't tried it up. Read a couple posts up, playlists can be streamed.

 

[Robin4]

I just created a smart playlist on my Mac and it showed up instantly on my iPad.

Same here. I am not a developer. I bought a couple of albums, they are in my iPad, MacBook and iPhone instantly.

I also checked my space available, I have more space even though I have new tv episodes and more music, nice!

 

[milo]

I just created a smart playlist on my Mac and it showed up instantly on my iPad.

Wow, that's very cool and powerful. Do smart playlists on your iPad update on the fly based on changing ratings or playing songs on your mac?

 

[arn]

This is pretty awesome then. To clarify, all your playlists from iTunes are automatically synced to your devices with or without the songs actually being in them? Can you then "stream" multiple songs in row?

All the songs are "in" the playlists since they are also part of the iTunes Match. You can play them streamed or download them to your device locally.

If you add a playlist or remove one, it gets added/removed automatically. It's your iTunes library on your iPhone.

Ya, you can just play a playlist, and it will start from the first song and keep playing until the last song.

arn

 

[milo]

Can streamed playlists be shuffled?

 

[bushido]

All the songs are "in" the playlists since they are also part of the iTunes Match. You can play them streamed or download them to your device locally.

If you add a playlist or remove one, it gets added/removed automatically. It's your iTunes library on your iPhone.

Ya, you can just play a playlist, and it will start from the first song and keep playing until the last song.

arn

Are u sure ur talking about itunes match and not just airplay or shared library over ur homenetwork/wifi? Stupid question ik

 

[hokiepokie07]

Where do I find this in the Apple Developer?

I must be blind because I don't see it anywhere.

 

[tarasis]

eek! I guess that is why they opened the beta!

Its why I wouldn't even try using it. over half my ~1200 album collection is soundtracks, many of which are limited editions and from speciality labels (LaLaLand Records, Intrada, FSM, Vasese Sarabande) which iTunes just doesn't have.

I'd be spending my life uploading stuff.

 

[phpmaven]

The issue here is Apple does not have a "streaming" agreement with any of the record labels.
A "cached" copy of a streamed file is not the same as a downloaded copy.

Apple's license agreement was for storing the music for future download, not for streaming.

Yes, it's all technicalities, but I would love to see what the contracts say about this delivery method.

Interesting theory, but none of us are privy to the details of their agreement.

I just created a smart playlist on my Mac and it showed up instantly on my iPad.

It must be nice to actually get to use it. I've been trying to get it to process through my 13K song library since yesterday and it keeps hanging and crashing and restarting.

Update:

OK, this is really starting to piss me off! I got all the way down to 76 songs left and this last time down to 53 songs left and it's just sitting there and never gets to the "Uploading remaining songs and artwork" step. I know at this point it's eventually going to either crash or restart the whole process.

Has anybody else gone through this and eventually got it to complete? I'm about ready to give up. I've tried at least a dozen times at this point.

Which is why audiophiles refuse to touch this kind of service.
What good is cloud streaming if it's going to degrade your music?

The audiophiles I know wouldn't touch digital music. It's vinyl or nothing.

 

[Sedrick]

You are mistaken. It supports your iTunes playlists on your iPhone/iPod/iPad.

arn

So, you're saying, I could stream 200 songs from iCloud, via one of my playlists? I'd like to see some proof of this.

 

[Prodo123]

Until Apple, Google or some other company can stream lossless quality music without lag for free (or a low price), I'm going nowhere near cloud-based streaming music.

 

[MookDaddy333]

This may be a stupid question, but here goes:

Is there a way I can have iTM turned on and still load all my music onto my phone via iTunes? I listen to my music quite a bit at work and don't want to kill my data plan and I also don't want to have do download everything via the iPhone. I hooked my iPhone up to iTunes but the music tab was gone. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Vegasman]

If you want streaming - get a Windows Phone ;-)

 

[Prodo123]

im more than happy on Google Music Beta.

you can stream, or download the song onto your phone. you know, choices.

oh and its free (up to 20,000 songs)

i have about 8 Google music invites so if anyone is interested pm me.

it even transcodes your lossless files to 320kbps. (i'm sure premium users will have more options in the future)

Which is why audiophiles with lossless libraries refuse to touch this kind of service.
What good is cloud streaming if it's going to degrade your music?

 

[Rocketman]

Its why I wouldn't even try using it. over half my ~1200 album collection is soundtracks, many of which are limited editions and from speciality labels (LaLaLand Records, Intrada, FSM, Vasese Sarabande) which iTunes just doesn't have.

I'd be spending my life uploading stuff.

Apple encourages that. Use the broadband connection and computer for that while you sleep. You still have a "computer" don't you?

Rocketman

The thread with more Arn posts than I have ever seen. QED. This is a thing.

 

[shiseiryu1]

Doubt it

Will the match only work with music or does it also extend to audiobooks?

I doubt it. All the audiobooks in iTunes are provided by Audible.com... of course that company was bought a few years back by Amazon.com for $300 million.