Apple Finally Launches iTunes Match

Apple has finally launched their iTunes Match service to anyone who has updated their iTunes with the latest 10.5.1 update.The new service which will cost $24.99 a year and let’s users sync an entire music collection with iCloud — including songs and albums you’ve ripped from CDs.

First introduced earlier this year by former CEO Steve Jobs, iTunes Match has missed several launch dates. It was intended for early September.

The new service lets users access content they have “ripped” from a purchased CD or acquired via other means and then play it back on multiple devices, not only the Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch where the digital files are stored. Such tracks are automatically uploaded to iCloud, Apple’s free syncing service.

In the case of songs already offered through iTunes, your music will simply be matched up with the tracks already available, and anything not offered will be uploaded, with everything offered in the usual DRM-free 256kbps AAC files.

Users are limited to 25,000 songs, although iTunes purchases don’t count against that limit.