Apple Insider reports that Apple has released a new version of iTunes for developer testing of the functionality of iCloud's new iTunes Match feature for storing songs "in the cloud" for flexible access from mobile devices.

The new iTunes 6.1 beta release is the first to support the "scan and match" cloud access feature that Apple first announced at this summer's Worldwide Developer Conference.

This new feature allows users to pay for an annual iTunes Match subscription that will make their entire existing music collection (including songs not purchased through iTunes) available from Apple's cloud servers as well.

The service will support music collections up to 25,000 songs and costs $24.99 per year. That library limit does not count any songs purchased from iTunes, which are already cloud accessible. The service is also limited to music, and does not support the uploading of apps, audiobooks, books, movies, TV shows, ringtones or interactive content such as iTunes LP liner notes or iTunes Extras for movies.

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