Why does iTunes match download on iOS devices?

[MrMister111]

I'm thinking about using iTunes Match (I currently use Google music), but from here
http://www.apple.com/uk/itunes/itunes-match/ it states in the FAQ

"Does iTunes Match stream or download songs?
On a computer, any songs stored in iCloud will stream over the air when played, though you can download them at any time by clicking the iCloud download button. iOS devices will start playing tracks from iCloud as they download and will store them so that you can listen to them later even if you don’t have a network connection. Apple TV only streams songs."

So why does it download and stream on a iOS device, eg my iPhone and not just stream, which is my preferred option? Is there no way to only enable streaming and then I'll download the songs if I want to? I have unlimited data so not bothered on the Gb used for streaming.

I understand that others may want a choice to download, but I want the choice to only steam, is this possible? I chose Google music as it only streams if you want it to. The reason I wouldn't mind iTunes Match is I have iMac, Apple TV, iPhones etc so would be nicely integrated.

Thanks

 

[verwon]

Nope, that's the way it works. Been that way since the inception of iTunes Match.

You can easily delete the music, but there is no stream only option.

Many are hoping this changes in the future, but so far, no luck!

 

[BrianBaughn]

I think you're misinterpreting the explanation...easy to do. There's also info that's left out.

The only time iTunes match downloads an entire song is when you touch the download button. Just playing the song doesn't download it for playback when not connected.

However, the part that's left out is that part of the song (not sure about the amount but it may be 30 to 60 seconds) is downloaded and my guess is that it's the next song(s) up, so that streaming is more continuous when a song ends and another begins.

I've seen these bits of audio files on my jailbroken iPhone and they also begin to pile up as "Other" when looking at iPhone contents in iTunes. The way to get rid of this "Other" pileup is to occasionally turn off iTunes Match in Settings, then turn it back on. This will also delete any songs you have downloaded for offline play.

 

[MrMister111]

Man this is confusing. So one says it does download, as does Apple FAQ, another says it doesn't, just bits and pieces.

Don't like the idea of it leaving bit and pieces as "other" had problems in the past with this whereby only way to get rid of it was a full format.

I'd prefer a full stream, wonder why Apple don't for iOS devices, I also don't really want to listen, and having to remember to keep deleting what I've listened to. I'm a serial skipper of songs so will be annoying at the least to do this.

 

[Gav2k]

I think you're misinterpreting the explanation...easy to do. There's also info that's left out.

The only time iTunes match downloads an entire song is when you touch the download button. Just playing the song doesn't download it for playback when not connected.

However, the part that's left out is that part of the song (not sure about the amount but it may be 30 to 60 seconds) is downloaded and my guess is that it's the next song(s) up, so that streaming is more continuous when a song ends and another begins.

I've seen these bits of audio files on my jailbroken iPhone and they also begin to pile up as "Other" when looking at iPhone contents in iTunes. The way to get rid of this "Other" pileup is to occasionally turn off iTunes Match in Settings, then turn it back on. This will also delete any songs you have downloaded for offline play.

What a load of .....

Op - the music is downloaded as it played into a cache of sorts so if you replay the song it's cached already. You can clear the cache any time you like by going setting> General > usage > music (tap edit and delete)

It helps overcome spotty reception/data issues.

The reason macs do not do this is there generally on wifi ie (stable connection)

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Man this is confusing. So one says it does download, as does Apple FAQ, another says it doesn't, just bits and pieces.

Don't like the idea of it leaving bit and pieces as "other" had problems in the past with this whereby only way to get rid of it was a full format.

I'd prefer a full stream, wonder why Apple don't for iOS devices, I also don't really want to listen, and having to remember to keep deleting what I've listened to. I'm a serial skipper of songs so will be annoying at the least to do this.

I should add a song is only cached if you have given it time to cache it. If you skip after 5 seconds it'll dump it.

 

[MrMister111]

What a load of .....

Op - the music is downloaded as it played into a cache of sorts so if you replay the song it's cached already. You can clear the cache any time you like by going setting> General > usage > music (tap edit and delete)

It helps overcome spotty reception/data issues.

The reason macs do not do this is there generally on wifi ie (stable connection)

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I should add a song is only cached if you have given it time to cache it. If you skip after 5 seconds it'll dump it.

Ah ok it's a little confusing what Apple are saying in the FAQs then, the wording I mean.

So do you have to do the deleting manually often?

If this is the case then sounds like I might subscribe as I have unlimited data.

 

[Gav2k]

Ah ok it's a little confusing what Apple are saying in the FAQs then, the wording I mean.

So do you have to do the deleting manually often?

If this is the case then sounds like I might subscribe as I have unlimited data.

If your tight for space maybe but tbh I use mine every day and it floats around 100-200 mb

 

[BrianBaughn]

What a load of .....

Op - the music is downloaded as it played into a cache of sorts so if you replay the song it's cached already. You can clear the cache any time you like by going setting> General > usage > music (tap edit and delete)

It helps overcome spotty reception/data issues.

The reason macs do not do this is there generally on wifi ie (stable connection)

----------



I should add a song is only cached if you have given it time to cache it. If you skip after 5 seconds it'll dump it.

Not entirely a load.

Your method of clearing the cache seems to work exactly like turning iTunes Match off then on again. The "cache" files are stored on the iPhone in /user/media/CloudAssets. I played less that 100 songs, about 90 of them for less than a minute...skipping to the next one. Some were in playlists and some were from albums. I ended up with about 900MB of audio cache files (of various sizes) in that CloudAssets folder. The Usage amount in the iPhone's prefs was pretty close to that 900MB. I also had clicked the download cloud next to four songs so they'd be stored on the iPhone.

So, after deleting the Music cache in Settings>General>Usage>Storage>Music the CloudAssets folder was cleared of audio files and my "Other" amount in the iTunes>iPhone>Summary section increased by that 900MB. But, also gone were the four songs I had downloaded for offline play...just like when I turn iTunes Match off then on again!

This "caching" is horrible to me. If you skip around your music collection it can really pile up on your iPhone. Also, it seems the only two methods to remove it also remove songs downloaded for offline play. Also, the amount of "caching" seems to exceed the size of the songs that are played...this is why i suspect "pre-caching" is occuring for smooth song transitions.

 

[klinlike]

good,I should add a song is only cached if you have given it time to cache it

 

[BrianBaughn]

good,I should add a song is only cached if you have given it time to cache itImage

Nope. I just started from scratch (turned iTunes Match OFF then ON again on iPhone) and opened a 14-song album on the iPhone that is "matched" in iTunes Match. I played 10 seconds of each song, skipping to the next, then stopping the last song after ten seconds. 14 new .m4a files were created in the /user/media/CloudAssets folder on the iPhone totaling 78.2MB (additionally, the folder ends up with 14 new plist files of 167 bytes each).

That's about 80MB of storage used on the iPhone by listening to 2:20 minutes of music!

 

[MrMister111]

mmm not sure now, not very "Apple"