iTunes Match Across Several Devices

[pellets007]

I currently have iTunes Match and it works flawlessly between my:

iPhone 4S
iPad 2
MacBook
Apple TV 2

However, I just purchased an iPhone 3GS off eBay to use as my car's music player. I wanted iTunes Match to sync the songs on the 3GS while my car is in the garage. This is where I am presented with a problem. I cannot successfully activate iTunes Match on the 3GS, despite it accepting my Apple ID and password.

What does this mean? The previous owner had iTunes Match enabled and it somehow remembers them? Should I do a complete restore? I should only have one Apple ID across all of my devices, so I don't understand.

Can anyone offer any insight?

 

[Mal]

Wait 19 days, then you'll be able to do it. Restoring it won't do any good.

jW

 

[Heebeejeebies]

Wait 19 days, then you'll be able to do it. Restoring it won't do any good.

jW

I can't imagine that doing a full restore wouldn't let you use your Apple ID. A restore ideally brings the iPhone back to factory settings. It probably wouldn't hurt to try...

 

[pellets007]

I can't imagine that doing a full restore wouldn't let you use your Apple ID. A restore ideally brings the iPhone back to factory settings. It probably wouldn't hurt to try...

Yeah, I did a restore before I saw the replies. Still doesn't work. I understand I can wait 19 days, but why is this limitation in place?

I'm assuming when the phone checks for iTunes Match, the server sees that the 3GS's serial number was already used with the previous owners Match service? That's why a restore won't work?

 

[Phil A.]

It's a limitation imposed by Apple with iTunes match - once you associate a device with an iTunes account for match, you can't associate the device with another account for 90 days (presumably to cut down on piracy caused by people borrowing a friends account for a few hours to download their music).

I suspect that it uses the UDID of the device and AFAIK there is no way around it.

 

[blevins321]

I just had this happen with a 2009 Mini that I bought off a fellow Macrumors member. It allowed me to do it, but warned me that I couldn't try it again for 90 days. I understand the reason for the restriction, but there should be some sort of authentication method to overcome it.

 

[Heebeejeebies]

Yeah, I did a restore before I saw the replies. Still doesn't work. I understand I can wait 19 days, but why is this limitation in place?

I'm assuming when the phone checks for iTunes Match, the server sees that the 3GS's serial number was already used with the previous owners Match service? That's why a restore won't work?

That's too bad... Maybe you can call Apple and find a workaround since iTunes Match is a paid, yearly subscription.