How will iCloud manage your metadata?

[MattWylde]

I've been reading some speculation articles regarding the upcoming iCloud. Some of the articles notes that Apple will mirror your iTunes music library on their servers, eliminating the need for the users to upload their songs to iCloud like you must with Amazon or Google's cloud storage.

I have a fairly large library of about 20,000 songs. I've spent hours going through each song and updating the metadata to include the album art, lyrics, and other notes. If Apple is just planning to own 1 copy of the song and stream it to all "authorized" users (the song is in your list from your library), won't this eliminate the ability for each user to edit the metadata to add notes, lyrics, artwork, or change any info about the track?

Also, how would the iCloud work for us inspiring musicians who would want to upload and stream our own musical creation (maybe that we created with Garage Band)? I don't see how this would work in Apple's iCloud scenario.

I know all of this is speculation and rumors until next week, but my mind is certainly wandering. I'm looking forward to cloud storage, but I have a feeling that we're all going to be sorely disappointed.

 

[saving107]

Also, how would the iCloud work for us inspiring musicians who would want to upload and stream our own musical creation (maybe that we created with Garage Band)? I don't see how this would work in Apple's iCloud scenario.

I know all of this is speculation and rumors until next week, but my mind is certainly wandering. I'm looking forward to cloud storage, but I have a feeling that we're all going to be sorely disappointed.

1. Why don't you wait to see what Steve Jobs announces before you judge

2. People disappointed after an Apple Keynote, shocking.

 

[the.sheepdog]

Clouds in my opinion are just one big step towards controlling what you can view or listen to.

Community storage of data sounds like an unlimited hard drive doesn't it? But what is it really? It is just moving your documents and files and music to someone elses server and relying on the net to access them. Your personal hard drive would start to shrink until all you have is a monitor and keyboard and none of your own security.

It will happen and it is happening. Do you really own it if you will not control it?

 

[virtuosity]

why on earth would Apple replicate every single one of it's users iTunes collection on their servers!!!? Are you mental?

Do you have any idea how much disk space they would need?


... Clearly not...

 

[QuarterSwede]

I really doubt it's going to be a music locker like Amazon and Google have. More likely, it'll reflect what you've bought from iTunes. I just can't see the labels being willing to let users upload anything to the service since there really isn't any way to verify if you've actually paid for it or not (remember, Amazon and Google DO NOT have licenses for their users' music instead saying that it's just a backup service).

If that's the case then the metadata will be whatever iTunes already has.

 

[tbayrgs]

I've been reading some speculation articles regarding the upcoming iCloud. Some of the articles notes that Apple will mirror your iTunes music library on their servers, eliminating the need for the users to upload their songs to iCloud like you must with Amazon or Google's cloud storage.

I have a fairly large library of about 20,000 songs. I've spent hours going through each song and updating the metadata to include the album art, lyrics, and other notes. If Apple is just planning to own 1 copy of the song and stream it to all "authorized" users (the song is in your list from your library), won't this eliminate the ability for each user to edit the metadata to add notes, lyrics, artwork, or change any info about the track?

Also, how would the iCloud work for us inspiring musicians who would want to upload and stream our own musical creation (maybe that we created with Garage Band)? I don't see how this would work in Apple's iCloud scenario.

I know all of this is speculation and rumors until next week, but my mind is certainly wandering. I'm looking forward to cloud storage, but I have a feeling that we're all going to be sorely disappointed.

Well, obviously your metadata won't be reflected in the music you stream from Apple--as mentioned it'll likely be whatever is reflected in iTunes. That doesn't stop you from tagging it yourself though as there's no requirement to stream only--more people will likely still load their music on the phone itself. The same goes for your homemade tunes--no need to stream what can be loaded directly on your iPhone/iPad.

 

[Agent-P]

Although I endorse cloud services like dropbox, I only like it because I have a local copy of my files on my own hard drive too. Based on the speculation it seems like iCloud will wok this same way. However I do not in any way support "cloud-only" options where I am limited to only streaming and not my own local copy (which is where it seems like we're headed). So once WWDC rolls around next week and Apple announces what iCloud actually is, then I'll pass judgement on it. (Sorry this is kind of unrelated to the original post, but it is still iCloud related )

 

[iceterminal]

I use dropbox, but only for certain types of files. But other than that, I won't give anyone access nor control over my data. I see zero point in putting my music &/or videos up on a cloud, on another companies servers, and then letting them control them. No thank you.
I know people will do it because it might be easier for them. But I'm not willing to just give up another piece of my privacy.

Let someone else control my in another way? I'll pass.
Besides, my phone holds over 43 days of continuous music. Song after song after song. I'll never listen to 43 days of continuous music. So using a cloud for music isn't for me.

But if Apple will "match" your purchases on their cloud, I can see them having the album art and maybe lyrics. And if there's a song that doesn't have them in your cloud, they might update what they have with your data. Its possible I think.

 

[dccorona]

I've been reading some speculation articles regarding the upcoming iCloud. Some of the articles notes that Apple will mirror your iTunes music library on their servers, eliminating the need for the users to upload their songs to iCloud like you must with Amazon or Google's cloud storage.

I have a fairly large library of about 20,000 songs. I've spent hours going through each song and updating the metadata to include the album art, lyrics, and other notes. If Apple is just planning to own 1 copy of the song and stream it to all "authorized" users (the song is in your list from your library), won't this eliminate the ability for each user to edit the metadata to add notes, lyrics, artwork, or change any info about the track?

Also, how would the iCloud work for us inspiring musicians who would want to upload and stream our own musical creation (maybe that we created with Garage Band)? I don't see how this would work in Apple's iCloud scenario.

I know all of this is speculation and rumors until next week, but my mind is certainly wandering. I'm looking forward to cloud storage, but I have a feeling that we're all going to be sorely disappointed.

Apple never really gets a chance to wow their audience because by the time they release their new product, rumors have gotten so blown out of proportion that whatever Apple has done just looks lazy...

as for the metadata thing, iCloud doesn't prevent you from keeping content onboard. If you want lyrics/notes (I use lyrics, but have never seen someone use notes personally), you can store the song locally. iCloud is a convenience service, not a replacement for local storage (I think at least).

 

[Small White Car]

No thank you.
I know people will do it because it might be easier for them. But I'm not willing to just give up another piece of my privacy.

The sucecess of Netflix shows you'll soon be in a small, small minority.

I use Netflix streaming too, actually. I'm sorry, but I don't really see that it affects my privacy in a negative way.

 

[maflynn]

2. People disappointed after an Apple Keynote, shocking.

+1

As regular and predictable as the sun setting, there will be much whining and complaining here at MR about how apple got it wrong with iCloud, iOS5, lack of iPhone 5, etc.

It seems people's expectations go through the stratosphere on these things but yet apple typically only updates their products/services incrementally. That is tiny updates but we want HUGE updates.