iTunes Match Beta Becomes Available

Apple has sent iTunes developers an email titled “iTunes Match beta now available.”

This is a feature of the upcoming iOS 5, announced at Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference in June. It lets you sync the music you didn’t purchase form iTunes. It upgrades songs to 256 kbps AAC DRM-free versions if it can match it to songs in its library. It if can’t match a song, it will upload it.

The email reads:

iTunes Match stores your complete music library in iCloud, allowing you to enjoy your collection anywhere, anytime, on any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or computer.

iTunes Match beta is currently available to developers in the United States. Beta subscribers will receive iTunes Match service during the beta period plus an additional 3 months for free with their 12 month paid subscription.

To get started with iTunes Match, download the current version of iOS 5 beta and iTunes 10.5 beta 6.1 with iTunes Match. Once installed, choose Turn On iTunes Match from the Store menu, and click “Subscribe for $24.99.”

Please note that you must maintain a local backup of your iTunes library as well as any music you add to iCloud. Apple will periodically reset your iCloud library during the beta and it is critical that you backup your music regularly. Some features and optimizations of iTunes Match will not be available during the beta.

iTunes Match will be available this fall for $24.99 a year (US only).