14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has posted a dedicated web site to iTunes Match, the company’s annual $25 service, to provide clarification on some of the most important aspects surrounding the product, including setup, availability, and usage.
“With iTunes in the Cloud, the music you buy from the iTunes Store automatically appears on all your devices,” Apple says on the new site.
“And for music you haven’t purchased from iTunes, iTunes Match is the perfect solution. iTunes Match is built right into iTunes on your computer and the Music app on your iOS devices. It lets you store your entire collection in iCloud, even music you’ve imported from CDs or purchased somewhere other than iTunes,” the Mac maker adds.
“When it’s in iCloud, it’s available on all your devices. So you can enjoy all your music anywhere, anytime — on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, or Apple TV.”
Apple then details the song matching and uploading process, and offers a setup guide, a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ), and a walkthrough video.
For example, the first question answered in the FAQ is “Who can use iTunes Match?”
Following the international rollout earlier this month, “Anyone with an Apple ID in the U.S and select other countries can use iTunes Match,” Apple says.
The company then outlines the system requirements, which include iTunes 10.5.1 or later on Mac or PC, and iOS 5.0.1 or later on iPhone 3GS or later, iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), or iPad.
Stuff like which music formats can iTunes Match handle, and how many devices can iTunes Match support, is also explained.
Finally, there’s a blue button at the bottom of the page that says ‘Subscribe to iTunes Match’. The link takes you to the setup page in iTunes, but only if your country is supported.