luvtolean

This is pretty interesting, this online article gives you an idea, but I read an article in today's WSJ that was much more balanced than this one.

Apple's Jobs calls for DRM-free music | Tech News on ZDNet

And here is the letter from His Holiness Himself:

Apple - Thoughts on Music

This is kinda an interesting situation. The MS Zune came out with strong DRM that will be linked to Vista.

Apple is currently being sued in the EU for using DRM to lock competitors out of selling music for iPods. The protectionist benefit to having DRM that Apple has gained launched iTunes and the iPod, but now moving on for more growth will require going after customers that have refused to buy due to format restrictions. This of course will not kill the iPod or iTunes.

In the WSJ article they mention this could be a way out for Jobs, and a way to look like a consumer advocate at the same time.

Also, it turns out MP3 or iTunes music sales account for very little of the music industry right now anyway. It's growing but still on the order of 10%. (MP3 was 6% IIRC)

I hope this works, no matter Jobs' motivation. The shit MS did in Vista sucks, and I know most of us will eventually be using it. If DRM died, that would be a great thing and kill off the biggest complaint I have with Vista so far.

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ND4SPD

I agree 100%. My biggest reason for going away from Windows is the DRM they've added onto it - and it isn't just for music. It's in Office as well - wait until 2007 really starts hitting the streets.

It doesn't bother me for music because I think I've bought one, maybe two songs off iTunes. All of my music is bought on CD.

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luvtolean

Yeah, that was the point Jobs made.

The vast majority of music put on an iPod comes from CD.

Piracy isn't being impacted by this DRM stuff for that reason, and for the other simple reason, there is no DRM that people won't crack within days of release.

It's great for Apple. DRM probably benefitted him more than anyone. And now that it does not carry quite the benefit it used to, and now that he's coming under pressure in court, and the court of public opinion, he comes out and says, let's get rid of it.

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ND4SPD

I don't worship the guy...but I applaud him for standing up to this stuff. Norway already declared iTunes illegal because of the DRM protection. The only Apple put the DRM in there is because of the big recording companies.

Norway declares iTunes illegal - OSXUnderground.com

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asiliat

DRM is bad - but it is inevitable. Too many greedy people in the industry, and too many dishonest consumers who want everything free. No matter who crys what, DRM in some form will govern your life. Even if you fight, it'll eventually be a part of you.

It's just for the entertainment biz to restrict content so you have to buy it repeated for every device you own.

SheepOfBlue

DRM benefited the iTunes store by getting the record publishers to agree to participate. What benefitted the iPod is that the interface was simple and worked. In my case DRM hurt the Apple store as paying for DRM crap exceeds the benefit of buying single songs for me. I use the iTunes store for previewing before buying (on a CD)

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Purpdust

DRM - Digital Rights Management - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had to look it up

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