Apple lets developers road-test iTunes Match

Apple Inc. is giving developers first crack at its iTunes Match service, which allows streaming and downloading of users' music libraries to their Internet-connected iPhones, iPads or iPod devices. Registered software developers will get first crack at downloading iTunes 10.5 beta 6.1, which features the iTunes Match service. "This is the first time developers will be able to get their hands on the new cloud platform, announced by Apple at WWDC in June. The beta is available in the United States, and still has the $24.99 subscription cost with it," noted enthusiast site 9to5mac. The iTunes Match is also featured in iOS 5 Beta, Apple's upcoming operating system for mobile devices like the iPhone, iPad and iPad Touch. Apple warned all content uploaded to iCloud will be deleted once the beta period ends. Still, it thanked developers for their efforts with a free beta period and an added free three months with their 12 months' subscription. Once subscribed, a user can add up to 25,000 songs to iCloud - not counting iTunes purchases. However, iTunes Match will not add apps, books, movies, TV shows, ringtones and audio books to one's iCloud library. A user can use iTunes Match on up to 10 computers and iOS devices, up to five of which can be computers authorized with one's Apple ID. "You can only associate computers and devices with a different Apple ID once every 90 days," it added. A separate article on tech site PC World said the developers beta only supports streaming to iOS devices and Macs, but PC streaming will be available when the service is no longer in beta. It added the iCloud-iTunes model has advantages over competing services from Google and Amazon. "Google Music and Amazon Cloud Player don’t match your songs to a cloud library, but only upload your MP3 files to their servers," it said. For now, the iTunes Match is US-only and requires the latest beta of iOS 5, and a new beta of iTunes 10.5. — TJD, GMA News