Apple to end music restrictions

[Mr. Blonde]

Apple Inc has agreed to start selling digital songs from its iTunes store without copy protection software.

At present, most music downloaded from Apple's iTunes store can only be played through an iTunes interface or iPod.

The new agreement with Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner Music will end digital rights management (DRM)software currently attached to iTunes music.

The changes were announced at the end of the keynote address, at the Macworld conference in San Francisco.


By the end of this quarter, all 10 million songs will be DRM free
Phil Shiller, Apple

Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, Phil Shiller delivered the speech, traditionally given by Steve Jobs.

"Over the last six years songs have been $0.99 [79p]. Music companies want more flexibility. Starting today, 8 million songs will be DRM free and by the end of this quarter, all 10 million songs will be DRM free," he told the crowd.

Apple has also revised its pricing structure, offering a two-tier system with songs available for $0.69 and $1.29. Prices will vary slightly in the UK.

At present, the firm has a one-price-fits-all strategy - currently 79p per track - with no subscription fee.

The new model will have a varied pricing structure, with what the company calls "better quality iTunes Plus" costing more.

It remains to be seen whether music already purchased from iTunes would have its DRM stripped off.

The move could potentially spell the end for DRM limited music, which was never popular with users or the record industry.

Mark Mulligan, a director with market analysts Jupiter Research, said the end of DRM - in its current form - was inevitable.

"The only reason it has taken so long is that the record industry has been trying to level the playing field, by giving away DRM free to everyone else, but even that hasn't dented Apple's share," said Mr Mulligan.

"Ultimately, what we're going to end up with is a new form of DRM. The more you pay, the less DRM you get bolted onto your music. Premium music will be DRM free, the cheaper it gets, the more shackles are attached," he added.

In 2007 Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, published an open letter called 'Thoughts on Music' in which he called on the three big record companies to ditch DRM.



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Highest quality = zero DRM restrictions? Yay for pirates..but it still seems suspicious to me.

[Dent]

That's real good news, I'm glad companies are starting to accept that the only way to stop piracy is to make people want to buy it. The drm they put on Spore to stop it being pirated lead to it being the most pirated game ever (I think it's the sims)
There's a few games out that don't ask for a serial number anymore, with it only being needed for updating.

[Mr. Blonde]

Great article I read in regard to this...I think i posted it a while ago but whatever, this guy is awesome: demonbaby: When Pigs Fly: The Death of Oink, the Birth of Dissent, and a Brief History of Record Industry Suicide.

[TwoBlackEyes]

The music industry might finally be catching up to the late 90s! Awesome!

[DDTempest]

Originally Posted by TwoBlackEyes

The music industry might finally be catching up to the late 90s! Awesome!

Too bad we are almost in the 2010s.

[TwoBlackEyes]

Originally Posted by DDTempest

Too bad we are almost in the 2010s.

Yes. That would be my point.

[DDTempest]

Originally Posted by TwoBlackEyes

Yes. That would be my point.

Thanks for clarifying.

[TwoBlackEyes]

Originally Posted by DDTempest

Thanks for clarifying.

No, thank you.

Sometimes I lie awake a night hoping that someone will make sure to clarify my posts on forums so that no one, not even the simplest reader, will miss the point of what I am saying. Thank god you were here. Thank god.