Apple(s AAPL) is reportedly looking to build its own web radio service through iTunes, something similar to Pandora.(s P) Both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times have reports that say Apple has started talks with music publishers for the appropriate licenses that would allow it to pursue such a service. It sounds like Apple basically is looking to apply its “genius” function to music in the cloud. And with the rise of customized, streaming music services, it’s possible Apple is looking for ways to defend its music turf.

A PC World article that reads like deja vu all over again:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/183804/what_apples_lala_acquisition_may_mean_for_itunes.html

Streaming access: Isn’t an iTunes Match thing at all.

Store Track List in the Cloud: This is what is currently done. You can freely add and delete from an iOS device without affecting what is in the cloud. When deleting a track from iTunes on the desktop it will ask if you also want to delete it from iCloud. If you choose “no” the local copy will be deleted but the track entry remains in your library available to download again. In fact this is how you upgrade your matched tracks that are lower bitrates than what you get from the iTunes store.

Make a smart playlist where bitrate is less than 256 and where iCloud status is matched. Delete every track in that playlist without removing them from iCloud. Click on the iCloud download button next to the playlist entry in the library window.

I would say it’s interesting that you really don’t hear Apple talk about it — if it was a huge hit, they would. You can google for more, but this tale in particular stands out to me from earlier this year of unmet expectations: http://www.macgasm.net/2012/05/04/itunes-match-almost-a-year-later-a-cautionary-tale/

Could you link to any reports of Match falling flat? I’d be interested in reading other user’s experiences. For $25 it’s worked great for me. I’m on the road at a hotel, want to listen to something but don’t have it on my phone, just use the wi-fi (or if really desperate, cell data) and download it from my library.

I used it to upgrade a lot of my music library from self rips to higher quality rips, freely upgraded my old DRM iTunes purchases to non-DRM files and have access to my entire music library on my iPhone and iPad.

It has been a roaring success for me.