After again wiping iTunes Match libraries today, Apple has seeded developers with the 3rd iTunes 10.5.1 Beta. This update includes a number of important stability and performance improvements for iTunes Match.
Apple wiped iTunes Match libraries stored in iCloud earlier today in order to "prepare for the launch of iTunes Match". The Beta 3 Release Notes warn that Apple may again wipe iTunes match data during their ongoing testing:
iTunes 10.5.1 beta 3 includes a number of important stability and performance improvements for iTunes Match, and is a required update for all subscribers to iTunes Match beta.
Backup regularly and do not delete the music you add to iCloud from your computer. Apple may periodically delete all iCloud libraries during the beta period. This will require you to scan, match, and upload songs again
iTunes Match is Apple's $25/year subscription service that will match your existing iTunes library with 256-Kbps versions in the iCloud. iTunes Match had been scheduled for release in late October, but has been pushed back without any clear launch date available. Apple's wording in the most recent emails suggests an imminent launch.
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2.
watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC.
It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
Visa wants to pay Apple approximately $100 million to be the new payment network for the Apple Card, reports The Wall Street Journal. As of right now, the Apple Card is on the Mastercard payment network, but that is set to change because Apple is ending its partnership with Goldman Sachs.
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While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Wednesday April 2, 2025 10:11 am PDT by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming just two days after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4.
iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update.
We don't yet know what Apple is introducing in the iOS 18.5...
I find the idea of having to pay protection money every year to listen to your music a bit silly.
Mischaracterize much? This is a way for you to:
* Get higher quality versions of you current songs.
* Get amnesty for songs you've stolen in the past.
* Easily manage songs across all of your devices, including devices you don't yet own.
Protect your music collection in the event of loss (after beta).
But I suppose some people will always try to put a negative spin on some things, no matter how positive. Bueno. Keep your $25.
Been working with Match for a few weeks and thought I would post a FAQ type response here to what I see people asking over and over again.
1. When you enable Match it goes through a three step process. Analyzing your library, matching songs, uploading non-matched content. It does this for your whole library. You can't choose to exclude songs other than taking them out of your library.
2. If a song is matched, it becomes available to download in 256K AAC. If a song is not matched it is copied in its current format and bit rate up to 320K. If the file is Lossless however, it is converted (presumably by your computer) to a 256k AAC file and then uploaded.
3. Nothing happens to your local music when you run match. If you have a lower quality song that was matched you can remove it from your local library and then replace it with the 256k version. What happens is you delete the song, but the entry in iTunes stays, but a little cloud now shows up in a newly added column that shows you that you have a song that is in the cloud but not in your library. You can click on the cloud and it will download it to your local library, where again it is now permanently yours at the higher bit rate.
4. Match uses your meta-data. If you in an anal-retentive fashion have made lots of custom edits to your files, that is what gets copied to the cloud. Even if you replace your songs with the upgraded versions you keep your previous metal-data.
5. Your limit is 25,000 songs and purchased from iTunes don't count, but matched does. Again if you have personal recordings etc. they won't match (obviously) but will be copied to the cloud in their current format (see above for Lossless exception)
6. Songs below 100k (I couldn't tell if it was below 128K since I don't have any at 100k) are listed as ineligible and nothing happens with them.
7. iTunes runs match on any new material that is added. I.e. when you rip a new album it is matched or copied to the cloud depending on how the match worked. Also, when you change meta-data, it immediately moves that meta-data to the cloud. So, if you correct a name on your iMac, it fixes the name in match. However, if you already had it downloaded on your phone, it would not be changed. But if you delete if from your phone and download it again you would see the new information.
8. iTunes match is not an amnesty program. Because there is no way to prove that matched songs came from a legitimate source, you can't claim you "own" the songs simply because you have a matched version. The RIAA might still prove that your IP address downloaded a file and sue you. Also, since meta-data is preserved if there is a comment like "ripped by mega-thief" it's still going to be there, unless you clean it manually. This does reduce the likelihood that they could prove it was illegally obtained because it had say a specific bit-sum, but it was never a crime to be in possession of files if it couldn't be proven that you up or downloaded it. So, be aware, this does little to protect you from the RIAA.
9. You have reasonable control to get songs off the cloud that you don't want there, but if you keep it in any iTunes library that has match enabled, it will re-upload it when you update the library.
10. I still have a good number of non-obscure albums that end up with 9 out of 10 songs matching. So, when I download to my phone I end up with 9 256K AAC songs and 1 128k MP3. I don't like that.
There are probably more things that people are asking, but hopefully this helps relive some of the FUD about match.
If the content is not in iTunes catalogue then nothing is upgraded you will just upload the 128 file!
Lets say I have a CD ripped to my iTunes library at 128 that is not available in iTunes. I sign up for iTunes Match, that loads those particular songs to the cloud at 256? This is where people seem confused. Some say it will keep the 128 while others say it will "upgraded" to 256.
Problem is if you use iTunes to convert a 128 file to 256, it acchives nothing because the original file is lower quality. The only thing you are doing is lowering the quality a little bit but increasing the size of the file two times.
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Well engage your brain and explain to me how you can take a 128 file and convert it to a 320 file. You already lost the audio quality going from 320 to 128... You can't magically restore that from a 128 file. Only way to do so is to re rip from the disk.
I seriously am questioning the intelligence of some of the forum users. Between this thread and the one regarding iPod replacements I have read some of the most retarded comments and statements of my life!
Yeah i have done this before.. lowered some of my songs from 320 to 128 to save space on my iPod and than later converted them back to 320 and lost quality. hope this iTunes match gets them back to how they where before i converted the quality down.
I think I'll pass on this new offering when it arrives...
I've got more stuff in iTunes than my "free" five gigs will store, and I'm not popping for more. Further, it seems to me that this "feature" is nothing more than a churner of iPhone and iPad data services for which ATT, Verizon and others already make zillions off of. I wonder what Apple's commission is... :rolleyes:
Sounds like you don't know what Itunes match actually is.
