Open Radar

 
Summary: It is impossible to play iTunes match songs in a music app built on AVFoundation.

Steps to Reproduce: Try to play an iTunes match song using AVFoundation that is not on the device.

Expected Results: Be able to note the nil asset URL, trigger a download using some API call, receive notification when the download is complete, play the song.

Actual Results: We need to tell the user that they cannot play the song (or they need to switch to the OS Music app to trigger a download then come back to our app). User is sad or angry or confused.

Notes: We have a crossfading DJ app that users and the press really love, but the #1 complaint from reviewers and press is that it can't download iTunes match songs that they want to play.

Prototypical user response: "Great app! Unfortunately it isn't compatible with iTunes Match. So kinda wasted 2 bucks."

From iMore.com: "It wasn't all rock and roll; because Party Monster uses the iOS music library, you're limited to on-device DRM-free music. That means that older songs from iTunes won't play, but more notably it means that you'll be hearing a lot of silence if you rely heavily on iTunes Match."

More than 50% of our support email is from this issue.

We realize that if you use the simpler MPMedia APIs it will handle iTunes Match, but this isn't an option for a crossfading, beat matching, seamless DJ app.

Thanks for your consideration!

Allen Pike
Steamclock Software