Does iTunes Match delete songs already on an iOS device?

[Scott549]

This was raised in another thread but not definitively answered. Suppose I've got an iPod with 500 songs on it. I turn iTunes Match on, giving that iPod wifi access to my library of 19,000 songs.

My wife uses this iPod; she's out doing a workout without wifi access. Will her 500 songs still be there? Or is there a brand new huge library from which we have to start over and download songs?

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

no, the songs stay on the device. The songs in your iCloud are also added to the device with a cloud icon next to them so that you can dl them to the device.

Your original songs will stay on the device though so that you can still have access to that music when not connected to 3G or Wi-Fi.

 

[Scott549]

Thanks, that helps. I am assuming that when you are not connected to wifi, it just shows the artists/albums/songs that have been downloaded to the device. When you are connected to wifi, how are the downloaded songs shown? Is there a separate playlist or category for them?

 

[xxBURT0Nxx]

sorry, not sure I've never had an iPod Touch, just iPhones..

 

[Scott549]

Last night I tried it on my wife's iPod Touch. It seems to be working, and it does not appear to have deleted any existing music on the iPod.

 

[HazyCloud]

FWIW, I read (I think) on Macworld that apparently iOS 5 does delete songs that are older to make room for more. I personally can't confirm this as I haven't noticed any songs actually removed from my device.