How Apple is changing DRM

News Type: Event — Seeded on Thu May 15, 2008 8:45 AM EDT

Article Source: Guardian Unlimited

But what's the real effect of DRM? Last year, EMI began offering songs without it on iTunes. "The industry has finally been able to get some hard data about how removing DRM restrictions from legitimately purchased tracks affects piracy," says Bill Rosenplatt, DRM specialist and president of GiantSteps Media Technology Strategies. "The statistics show that there's no effect on piracy."

No effect. The assertion is remarkable. If DRM does not in fact discourage piracy, then it is merely a nuisance for the user. Now the Guardian understands that most download stores will remove DRM on permanent music downloads. "We are going to be selling non-DRM music from the summer", says Dave Elston, HMV's digital content manager, adding that it would solve "obvious interoperability issues" - primarily compatibility with Apple's iPod. Amazon has announced that its DRM-free MP3 download store, already online in the US, will be rolled out internationally later this year. Napster in the US is moving to MP3 for non-subscription downloads, and sources close to the company implied that the UK service will follow suit. And Apple offers DRM-free downloads for an increasing number of tracks.

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{"commentId":1806686,"authorDomain":"spudsstuff"}

Spuds Stuff

It is good that more and more music is DRM free. Way overdue I say. i am just glad I never bought music at the MSN music store.

{"commentId":1806686,"threadId":"265214","contentId":"1490051","authorDomain":"spudsstuff"}

1 vote

#1 - Fri May 16, 2008 4:33 AM EDT

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How Apple is changing DRM

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	How Apple is changing DRM	Guardian Unlimited	Sat May 17	1
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