iOS 5 has really improved things with its revamped features and most important of all iCloud which has relieved all iOS users by eliminating the need of a PC for backups but that’s not the end as Apple had yet to apply the finishing touch to iCloud with iTunes Match for further accessibility. What is really iTunes match, how does it work and how to get it? Read on to find out.

iTunes is a new service inaugurated by Apple which allows you to in a way sync your iTunes library with iCloud. iTunes Match scans your library and adds the songs to iCloud via the vast iTunes music database. Those songs which are not included in the database can be added manually as well. It is a subscription based service for $24.99 per year. The good news is that it syncs songs that are not purchased from iTunes Store too.

Apple reports:

If you want the benefits of iTunes in the Cloud for music you haven’t purchased from iTunes, iTunes Match is the perfect solution. It’s built right into the iTunes app on your Mac or PC and the Music app on your iOS devices. And it lets you store your entirecollection, including music you’ve imported from CDs or purchased somewhere other than iTunes. For just $24.99 a year.

Here’s how it works: iTunes determines which songs in your collection are available in the iTunes Store. Any music with a match is automatically added to iCloud. Since there are more than 20 million songs in the iTunes Store, most of your music is probably already in iCloud. All you have to upload is what iTunes can’t match. Which is much faster than starting from scratch. Once your music is in iCloud, you can stream and store it on any of your devices. Even better, all the music iTunes matches plays back from iCloud at 256-Kbps AAC DRM-free quality — even if your original copy was of lower quality.

How to get started? Simply download iTunes 10.5.1 which contains iTunes Match in it.

Download iTunes 10.5.1 for:

Windows 32-BitWindows 64-BitMac