iTunes Match crippled in iOS 6

Despite all of the philosophical debates about how ITM could/should operate, the latest implementation in iOS6 is just terrible. We should be able to manage our individual song download and delete as was available in iOS5. Having to play a song to download it is stupid. What if we want to quickly download several different songs from different albums/artists before jumping on a plane, for example? Apple -- please return control over one's downloaded library as we had before. Give us the option to manage our memory and usage as we please. With this new, vague way of using ITM, I am very close to turning off the feature on my devices and going back to just dragging and dropping from IT on my computer -- 2008 style.

This is what's needed:

1) Ability to download individual songs.

2) Ability to delete individual songs.

3) Clear indication of what songs are on the device vs what's in the cloud.

4) The ability to drag and drop songs from iTunes, even when iTunes match is turned on at both the computer and device (OMG how revolutionary....).

Here! Here! gamsc1.

I've reported this to the Apple Feedback site and the Apple Developer site and encourage everyone to provide feedback to Apple too. This is the only way Apple is going to understand how the users of ITM feel about the changes in iOS 6. One of the problems, IMO, of this is that the number of users of ITM is not nearly as great as...say...the new Maps App. That poorly functioning application got tons of press and Apple/Tim Cook responded big time. That's not going to happen with ITM, but we increase our chances of an effective response from Apple if everyone who uses this product and is dissatisfied let's Apple know through the proper channels...i.e. The Apple Feedback site and Developer site (if you are a Developer).

If you don't want to spend a lot of time on this, but do want to give Apple a clear idea of the changes you want to see, I am sure gmansc1 wouldn't mind you quoting his last paragraph..."This is what's needed...."

Actually, I don't really know if he wouldn't mind. gmansc1...Do you mind?

I don't mind at all. Please do use any part of my post that you would like to submit to apple feedback. I have already submitted my recommendations.

I turned off iM because I wanted to see what songs were on my phone (due to the fact the cloud icon has been taken from the song list courtesy of Apple). All of my 2000 songs had been deleted from my iPhone. Vanished. I then tried to put all of the songs back onto my phone via itunes hardwire connection. It would not allow me to copy more than 70% of my library. So, with iM turned on, I copied every song album by album over wifi (noting i can't download individual songs). I am now turning off iM for good unless and until I read there is an update fixing all the ridiculous restrictions that have been imposed in IOS 6, because I fear that if iM is turned on, all of my music will be deleted again. I have also turned off my recurring subscription to iM.

I will now delete the songs i never want to listen to again, such as duplicates of poorer quality). These songs would not be on my phone after i refilled my phone if I had the "authority" and my phone the functionality to download individual songs instead of entire albums.

I will not delete any song I might want to listen to in the future and will only add new songs when making a purchase, making the system alm

Thanks a lot Apple for screwing up a great product.

I turned off iM because I wanted to see what songs were on my phone (due to the fact the cloud icon has been taken from the song list courtesy of Apple). All of my 2000 songs had been deleted from my iPhone. Vanished. I then tried to put all of the songs back onto my phone via itunes hardwire connection. It would not allow me to copy more than 70% of my library. So, with iM turned on, I copied every song album by album over wifi (noting i can't download individual songs). I am now turning off iM for good unless and until I read there is an update fixing all the ridiculous restrictions that have been imposed in IOS 6, because I fear that if iM is turned on, all of my music will be deleted again. I have also turned off my recurring subscription to iM.

I will now delete the songs i never want to listen to again, such as duplicates of poorer quality). These songs would not be on my phone after i refilled my phone if I had the "authority" and my phone the functionality to download individual songs instead of entire albums.

I will not delete any song I might want to listen to in the future and will only add new songs when making a purchase, making the system almost useless.

Thanks a lot Apple for screwing up a great product.

Perhaps if everybody switches off the option for iTunes Match to auto renew its subscription then Apple may get the hint?

For what it's worth, here is a prior post of mine, written before all my songs were deleted. The post itself got deleted too:

Why has Apple intentionally 1) removed the iCloud icon next to individual songs; 2) made it impossible to delete a song without first turning off iTunes Match; 3) made it impossible to know what songs are actually downloaded to an iPhone when looking at the song list (unless you remember all songs in your library and can easily cross-reference by memory); and 4) made it impossible to download a single song stored in the cloud (now you have to download the entire album).

For instance, now, if I want to see if a song has been downloaded and not just cached to my iPhone, I have to look artist by artist. No longer can i just quickly view my song list to make that determination. Before, I could quickly peruse my library and see which songs had been downloaded and which were only in the cloud. Not anymore. This feature is gone. Deleted by Apple.

Another gripe: In 6.0, if I want to delete a song, I have to turn off iTunes Match before I am able to swipe to delete. Then, when I turn iTunes Match back on, I have to wait for iTunes Match to re-populate my songs. And if I want to re-download the song as opposed to streaming it to cache, I am required to download the entire album. But if I don't want the other songs that have been downloaded against my will, I have to turn iTunes Match off once again, delete the unwanted songs, and then go back to the toggle for iTunes Match, turn it on, and wait for my music to repopulate. This is moronic!!!

Was someone at Apple actually paid money to make a decision to effectively destroy the functionality of a good product? Perhaps a background check is necessary to determine whether the person is actually employed by Samsung to sabotage the iPhone. I can't think of any other explanation for what is one of the worst decisions I have seen a company make. And who at Apple decided to make the concrete grey background in the music application without providing an option to retain the IOS 5.0 color scheme? That person or group of people should be fired.

I guess I will have to cancel my iTunes Match subscription because it is totally useless to me now. How sad. It was an absolutely fantastic product that was easy to use, and convenient. Now it is cumbersome and useless.

Apple needs to fix these issues ASAP. An emergency update is in order. Heads would be rolling if Steve Jobs were alive. No, I take it back. This would not have happened on his watch. RIP Steve.

I think that's a great idea. They need to get the picture. Hopefully, people who don't follow these forums are doing that (turning off auto-renew) and also complaining to Apple via feedback, as it appears many in here have done. What I can't seem to understand is that out of all iPhone / iMatch users in the world that there is no publicity about this fiasco.

I liked it they way it was, very easy to use and and keep memory free on you devices why they changed ... Who knows but I can tell you I won't renew this service unless thy fix it!!!!!

I just read this article. It's not loaded with information about ITM, but it does confirm certain things posted in this discussion thread. The author does speak to the difference between clicking on a song and clicking on the iCloud download icon. It does appear that ITM does send a song to a streaming cache when you simply click on a song. But, even the author of the article is not sure what eventually becomes of the contents of this streaming cache. The only thing he states is that if you turn off ITM the contents of this streaming cache is emptied and those songs no longer reside on your phone. However, songs downloaded by clicking on the cloud icon will remain on your phone even if you turn off ITM. Enjoy. Mr. Luigi

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57517864-285/understanding-itunes-match-in-i os-6/

Well, the device has to reserve space for the OS. I'd prefer an option to choose which algorithm to remove photos, music, podcasts. In fact it would be great if I could create a smart list that I can customize instead of Apple determining it. And, if I happen to do it incorrectly, then Apple engineers should design it to use their algorithm instead. In other words delete rules should be customizable and but also define hard limits to keep the phone operational. Funny thing is memory managment algoritms used to be least recently used (LRU) oriented. Now a days through careful analysis of memory management, the optimal way is to randomly delete items. In fact, if that option were available, I'd pick it as my default. Seems arbitrary, but that's the beauty of this approach as the probability of running into a song you'd prefer to play that was deleted randomly would be low. Consequenly, with a large pool of songs and pictures there is a lower probability that you will need to download as often. Also, if these engineers were really creative, they should be able to analyze your playing habits based on size of the iCloud vs size of the device and recommend which delete algorithm to apply. But, still leave it as a choice for the user.

Hate to say it but I think the issues with iTM have been put on the back burner so Apple can focus on the issues with maps. Music is more important than maps IMO. At least I'll have some tunes to listen to while I'm lost.

I agree Bob of Fairfax that this would be the way to do it. Complete control as in iOS5 or some clever algorithm, all at the users choice. I do think that apple intends for users to employ ITM playlists. This works pretty well and is the only feature keeping me from turning off ITM on my iphone. Basically, create a playlist in iTunes on a computer sharting the ITM account. Create a playlist with songs selected for one's iphone. Then, on the iphone, play solely out of this playlist. This will slowly populate with just the songs one wants. I think it's weird, but it does work. Too bad that apple isn't more explicit about this use of shared playlists as a way of managing ITM on a phone.

Here's the markfalta secret sauce workaround solution until Apple makes it better or worse.

1. Put your device in Airplane Mode

2. Goto Music app and see what songs are stored on your device - only stored songs will show in airplane mode. If happy, place device out of Airplane mode and you're done else if you want to delete individual songs, continue.

2. Goto Settings - Music, and turn off iTunes Match

3. Goto the Music app; you will now have the option to delete individual songs with a swipe.

4. Put your device out of airplane mode

5. Goto Settings - Music, and turn on iTunes Match; the songs that already downloaded will stay that way.

6. If you want to play songs that only stored on your device and don't want to use airplane mode, goto Settings - Music, and toggle 'Show All Music' to off.

Thanks, great workaround. But APPLE bring back the old version of iTunes Match or i'm gone Also!!!