Apple Music + iTunes Match [MERGED]

[cmChimera]

This is where you'll be disappointed. If you remove a cloud matched album and add in the Apple Music version, it will no longer sync that file to a non-iOS ipod. Only iOS devices will sync Apple Music albums for offline playback (and desktop iTunes). Be very careful if you start deleting your cloud music and adding in the Apple Music version without doing a backup of your Matched songs.

No I mean I added the local files back. Not the Apple Music version.

 

[cmChimera]

Sorry for double post.

http://9to5mac.com/2015/07/02/apple-music-vs-itunes-match-drm/

So I found this today. I tried checking my files and they don't seem to say fairplay, so I'm guessing this is still just the apple music version of the file, but I'm not sure if I just don't see the DRM type?

Edit: Found it. Seems to be only an issue if you download the track from Apple Music and not your own library.

 

[fischersd]

Sorry for double post.

http://9to5mac.com/2015/07/02/apple-music-vs-itunes-match-drm/

So I found this today. I tried checking my files and they don't seem to say fairplay, so I'm guessing this is still just the apple music version of the file, but I'm not sure if I just don't see the DRM type?

Edit: Found it. Seems to be only an issue if you download the track from Apple Music and not your own library.

Are you still a match subscriber?

See, that's the question. If you decide it's time to blow away your mac and re-install OS X from scratch, are the "matched" songs out of Apple's catalog now part of Music or Match? Does it keep an index somewhere that you originally owned all of that content, or is it going to nuke it if you ever cancel your subscription?

Also not crazy about the single play issue - friend of mine tells me that spotify plays that way too, but he's not having that issue (believe that's because he has a family subscription).

So, those are the two things I'm going to verify with Apple support this afternoon - well, as much as you can - if it's not in writing, then you're protected how?

 

[0970373]

I am also confused about this. I just tested a song that I have had in my local library for years, an MPEG file. I right-click-remove-download version and then redownloaded. It was replaced with an Apple Music AAC Audio file. I tried to play it on a non-Apple device, it is definitely DRM locked.

I own that CD but now what? I am not a Match subscriber, just Apple Music. Hopefully they fix this. I have a backup of my HDD w/ all the music but hopefully apple fixes this soon.

 

[fischersd]

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but some people may want all of the info. I had a chat session with Apple CS this afternoon to answer the questions I had (AM vs iTunes Match). Apple CS responses in BOLD.

1) If I let my iTunes Match subscription expire, is my owned content still protected or, if I blow away my Mac and reload it from scratch, is all of the downloaded music part of the Apple Music service and going to be blown away if I ever cancel my subscription?

Okay, so you are more concerned with music outside of iTunes like on a CD or a third party music location that is not purchased within iTunes?

Okay, that is really great question you have! So when your iTunes Match subscription does expire, you will no longer have access to the “matched” content. So with this being said, I would recommend backing up the information that is not purchased within iTunes Store. However, you do have 90 days to see the content you have uploaded/downloaded through Match. This also with Apple Music as well. But we always want to encourage backing your information before transitioning over.

iTunes Match is DRM- free as for Apple Music it is DRM protected.

2) Is this by design that I can only play one device at a time??? I DON’T have that limitation with my iTunes currently. I was able to have up to 5 devices activated with my iTunes - why am I being restricted??? (use case - I go out to run errands and a friend is at my house enjoying my music - as soon as I start listening to music in the car, he’s going to get kicked off).

If you were to swap to Apple Music, you can only use one device at a time without the interrupting. But if you left the house like you mentioned, your Mac will see the screenshot you sent me above and your phone will pick up on another song.

Ok, so a single user account is limited to a single session. Does that mean a family account, while allowing up to 6 members is also limited to 6 devices concurrently?

It would indeed be limited to six devices as it matches with the Apple ID’s you are using. So if you have an iPad and an iPhone, you could technically use 4 other devices if wanted. But that would be the limit.

Right, so if all 6 family members were using it and someone went to use it on two devices simultaneously, they'd get the same message that I sent you then, right?

Correct! Since all 6 were being used, you are right.

3) My iTunes Radio stations that I’ve created now appear in my “recently played” list - how big can that list be and, if every those stations aren’t in that list, how can I retrieve them?? Will iTunes Radio continue to be available as part of iTunes Match? Is there an expectation on either service being end-of-life’d by Apple???

From what I can tell, the radio seems to be sticking around for quite some time as Beats and Apple sort of merged and this is a huge thing for them! The iTunes radio stations did get moved to “recently played’ s you are correct. Currently I have a colleague that uses it he has 20 plus stations on his “Recently Played” but this is everything he’s created.

There’s not a definitive answer on how big/much the stations can go to actually.

It will, since radio has been around before Match; this will not change. Match just allowed the skip feature more like a third party subscription like Spotify.

4) After finding out all of the above, I decided I wanted to cancel my AM trial immediately, to restore my functionality (so I can have my tunes in the house and the car at the same time).

Guess what? You can't!! (I've escalated the case, going to call back tomorrow - ran out of time this afternoon).

If you want to cancel your Apple Music membership, turn off Automatic Renewal. This will be the only way to cancel the subscription to Apple Music.

So, that's all you can do currently. If you sign up for the trial, you're stuck with the experience for 3 months.

Let you guys know how my escalation turns out - or if I have to wait 3 months to get it back.

 

[mpayne2k]

Sorry for the lengthy reply, but some people may want all of the info. I had a chat session with Apple CS this afternoon to answer the questions I had (AM vs iTunes Match). Apple CS responses in BOLD.

1) If I let my iTunes Match subscription expire, is my owned content still protected or, if I blow away my Mac and reload it from scratch, is all of the downloaded music part of the Apple Music service and going to be blown away if I ever cancel my subscription?

Okay, so you are more concerned with music outside of iTunes like on a CD or a third party music location that is not purchased within iTunes?

Okay, that is really great question you have! So when your iTunes Match subscription does expire, you will no longer have access to the “matched” content. So with this being said, I would recommend backing up the information that is not purchased within iTunes Store. However, you do have 90 days to see the content you have uploaded/downloaded through Match. This also with Apple Music as well. But we always want to encourage backing your information before transitioning over.

iTunes Match is DRM- free as for Apple Music it is DRM protected.

2) Is this by design that I can only play one device at a time??? I DON’T have that limitation with my iTunes currently. I was able to have up to 5 devices activated with my iTunes - why am I being restricted??? (use case - I go out to run errands and a friend is at my house enjoying my music - as soon as I start listening to music in the car, he’s going to get kicked off).

If you were to swap to Apple Music, you can only use one device at a time without the interrupting. But if you left the house like you mentioned, your Mac will see the screenshot you sent me above and your phone will pick up on another song.

Ok, so a single user account is limited to a single session. Does that mean a family account, while allowing up to 6 members is also limited to 6 devices concurrently?

It would indeed be limited to six devices as it matches with the Apple ID’s you are using. So if you have an iPad and an iPhone, you could technically use 4 other devices if wanted. But that would be the limit.

Right, so if all 6 family members were using it and someone went to use it on two devices simultaneously, they'd get the same message that I sent you then, right?

Correct! Since all 6 were being used, you are right.

3) My iTunes Radio stations that I’ve created now appear in my “recently played” list - how big can that list be and, if every those stations aren’t in that list, how can I retrieve them?? Will iTunes Radio continue to be available as part of iTunes Match? Is there an expectation on either service being end-of-life’d by Apple???

From what I can tell, the radio seems to be sticking around for quite some time as Beats and Apple sort of merged and this is a huge thing for them! The iTunes radio stations did get moved to “recently played’ s you are correct. Currently I have a colleague that uses it he has 20 plus stations on his “Recently Played” but this is everything he’s created.

There’s not a definitive answer on how big/much the stations can go to actually.

It will, since radio has been around before Match; this will not change. Match just allowed the skip feature more like a third party subscription like Spotify.

4) After finding out all of the above, I decided I wanted to cancel my AM trial immediately, to restore my functionality (so I can have my tunes in the house and the car at the same time).

Guess what? You can't!! (I've escalated the case, going to call back tomorrow - ran out of time this afternoon).

If you want to cancel your Apple Music membership, turn off Automatic Renewal. This will be the only way to cancel the subscription to Apple Music.

So, that's all you can do currently. If you sign up for the trial, you're stuck with the experience for 3 months.

Let you guys know how my escalation turns out - or if I have to wait 3 months to get it back.

That's crazy. I didn't know you couldn't opt out once you start a trial. Bah!

 

[fischersd]

Just to close the loop on this topic. I solved my own problem.

Switch the trial to "family" - gives you 6 sessions. Then turn auto-renew off.

So, now I can still play with AM for the trial period and my iTunes Radio is not limited to a single session.

I did ask the senior AC advisor to pass along to the product management people that limiting a single user to only one session is highly restrictive. Far more restrictive than iTunes Radio is under your iTunes Match subscription.

 

[bobr1952]

Not true. iTunes Match can store music not even available on iTunes. Also not everything on iTunes is part of the Apple music service.

I guess this will be the main reason I keep both since I do stream the Beatles--and it would seem the only way to do that is with Match.