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Today, in addition to Lion, iOS 5 and the other iCloud features, Apple rolled out iTunes in the Cloud. The service is free for songs purchased through the iTunes Store, while a new "iTunes Match" service priced at $24.99/year extends the program to ripped music.

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iCloud will attempt to ease the burden of syncing -- at least for songs purchased through iTunes. Previously-purchased songs will show up in a purchase history and any music purchased can be re-downloaded to any device at no additional charge. According to Steve Jobs, this is the "first time we've seen this in the music industry."

Using the new Automatic Downloads feature, content purchased via iTunes is pushed (not streamed) to mobile devices and vice versa. Users will consequently have all of their songs, automatically, wherever they are, on up to ten devices. The service is free for songs through the iTunes Store.

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

iTunes Match is priced at a flat rate of $24.99 per year, even for "20,000 songs."

Article Link: iTunes Match: $24.99/Year, Matches Ripped Tunes, Offers Them In The Cloud
 
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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?
 
iTunes 10.3 ?

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

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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!)
 
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.
 
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 . . .
 
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...
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
so, does it improve the quality of old itune 128 kbps, transferring it back down to me at a more acceptable 256 kbps?
 
20,000 song cap

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.
 
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