46% of iTunes users would pay for cloud service

GOT A MATCH? Nearly half of iTunes users surveyed by the NPD Group for its upcoming iTunes User Report expressed interest in signing up for a paid cloud music service. The poll was done before Steve Jobs unveiled iTunes Match on Monday, but it bodes well for the upcoming service when it launches this fall. Interpreting the data, GigaOm speculated that the 46% who said they’d consider signing up were motivated by the convenience a subscription cloud music service provides to owners of the iPhone and iPad. Interestingly, 57% of teens aged 13-17 responded positively to the idea, indicating that there’s a good chance cloud music adoption will grow with time. If Apple can sign up anywhere near half of the 160 million iTunes users, iTunes Match will be a game changer. “As device penetration continues to grow, and as consumers demand easier access to their music from multiple devices, we can expect interest in these services from Apple and others to continue to rise,” an NPD entertainment industry analyst predicted. (6/10a)