iTunes Match Harmful Feature

[texaskd5]

First off watch this video I made using iTunes, my comments will be based on the assumption you have seen the video:

iTunes Match Feature or Bug? - YouTube

First off I think after having played around with iTunes Match on my iPhone for a few hours after I made the video I think downloading multiple songs besides the one you choose is an intentional action on the part of Apple. However I really see this as a very negative implementation. It uses way too much data, I don't have an unlimited data plan and I had previously been using Spotify for my music streaming, I can't see a reason to use iTunes Match over spottily. Especially since Im going to be using 2/3 more data than I would like to. Plus when using songs that are not on my iPhone, downloading 3 songs on a 3G data speed makes the song I'm listening to skip, which is super annoying. Anyway as you can tell I hate it, but what do you think?

 

[NoleScream]

I don't hate the feature, but I can see your point about download over 3G. I tested it out and replicated your video on my phone. My suggestion, if you're worried about your 3G data cap is to turn off "Use Cellular Data" in the Store. (Settings -> Store -> Use Cellular Data -> Off). I turned off my Wi-Fi and tried to play an album from iTunes Match and the popup came up saying I need Wi-Fi to download.

If nothing else it'll keep you from worrying about the data cap.

 

[Fausty82]

I don't hate the feature, but I can see your point about download over 3G. I tested it out and replicated your video on my phone. My suggestion, if you're worried about your 3G data cap is to turn off "Use Cellular Data" in the Store. (Settings -> Store -> Use Cellular Data -> Off). I turned off my Wi-Fi and tried to play an album from iTunes Match and the popup came up saying I need Wi-Fi to download.

If nothing else it'll keep you from worrying about the data cap.

Also, the download speeds over wifi will be significantly faster than 3G... and, obviously, the downside is that you have to be connected to wifi to use it - which could be somewhat limiting... except for places like Starbucks, McDonalds, etc...

 

[NoleScream]

Also, the download speeds over wifi will be significantly faster than 3G... and, obviously, the downside is that you have to be connected to wifi to use it - which could be somewhat limiting... except for places like Starbucks, McDonalds, etc...

Very true. Wi-Fi is so prevalent for me though, I rarely use much 3G data. In fact, when I upgraded out of my dumb phone back in April, Verizon was keen on trying to sell me a 4G Android phone. From a speed perspective alone (forget about the other points that I didn't like about the Android phones) I didn't see 4G as this huge factor for me since I'm around so much Wi-Fi.

Maybe I'm just lucky to have it at work in addition to home?

 

[texaskd5]

Streaming over Wifi works like a charm, but where I work wifi is not allowed. And I just cant get past the fact that in order to listen to a single song (~6MB) my iPhone downloads 3 songs (~18MB). Its a frstrating feature

 

[bmuncy]

I still have unlimited data so this feature is not the downer for me. The only thing that I don't like about the service is the way it matches songs. It relys to much on the meta-data and if it doesn't match iTunes library perfect then it won't match. I used tune-up to fix all my music but a lot of it still couldn't be matched because what it assigned did not match iTunes.

 

[verwon]

It doesn't do it, if you tap the cloud icon on the individual song and download it, before you que it up to play.


Sent from my iOS ecosystem!

 

[Nibbz]

I've only been downloading over wifi and plan on downloading little on 3G. I just wanted to be able to access my music wherever I am without hooking into my computer, now I can do that. I see no reason to plug my iPhone into my computer anymore.

 

[texaskd5]

It doesn't do it, if you tap the cloud icon on the individual song and download it, before you que it up to play.


Sent from my iOS ecosystem!

Actaully it still does, it just delays a little before doing it, try it out. If you tap the cloud it only starts downloading that song but once you start listening to the track it later starts downloading others automatically

 

[Nuttz565]

I've only been downloading over wifi and plan on downloading little on 3G. I just wanted to be able to access my music wherever I am without hooking into my computer, now I can do that. I see no reason to plug my iPhone into my computer anymore.

There will be times when I will still sync my phone to my PC because some things are still easier the old fashion way.
1. If you want to create a playlist and have that stored locally on your phone its much easier to sync it to your computer then tap on each song (especially if there is alot of songs in your playlist)

 

[verwon]

Actaully it still does, it just delays a little before doing it, try it out. If you tap the cloud it only starts downloading that song but once you start listening to the track it later starts downloading others automatically

I just did! Completely listened to that track and that's the only one it downloaded.


Sent from my iOS ecosystem!

 

[texaskd5]

I just did! Completely listened to that track and that's the only one it downloaded.


Sent from my iOS ecosystem!

Maybe its an iphone 4 thing? When I hit the cloud button and start listening to the track it downloads the next song in the album without me doing anything or the track I am currently listening to ending

 

[verwon]

Maybe its an iphone 4 thing? When I hit the cloud button and start listening to the track it downloads the next song in the album without me doing anything or the track I am currently listening to ending

It did if I just clicked to start playing the track, but not when I downloaded first.


Sent from my iOS ecosystem!