Since Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has come under increasing scrutiny from many European consumer groups regarding Fairplay, this afternoon Steve Jobs posted an article on the Apple website titled "Thoughts on Music." In the article, Apple's CEO makes the point that he would open the digital rights management system on iTunes to allow other digital devices to play iTunes music and to allow other music store media to play on the iPod in a "heartbeat."
"Imagine a world where every online store sells DRM-free music encoded in open licensable formats," said Jobs. "In such a world, any player can play music purchased from any store, and any store can sell music which is playable on all players. This is clearly the best alternative for consumers, and Apple would embrace it in a heartbeat," Jobs adds.
Jobs says if the big four music companies would license his company their music without requiring that it be copy-protected, Apple would switch to selling only DRM-free music on its iTunes store. "Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace," said Jobs. "Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."
It seems that Apple is taking the right approach, as DRM-free will clearly boost their iTunes store music purchases, and undoubtedly make Apple products more favorable in those disgruntled European countries. Now let's see how the big four react to this piece.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-07-2007 @ 10:23AM
Ivan said...
This is a little bit of trickeration with his words, don't you think? I mean, its pretty evident that we aren't necessarily looking for DRM-free but at least being able to play music bought from iTunes on our Zunes. The question of interoperability has already be mostly implemented with the PlaysForSure DRM. Buy it any PlaysForSure vendor and play it on any PlaysForSure device.
2-07-2007 @ 10:37AM
August said...
I'm either as thick as a block of wood, or the whole world is upside down. (knotty pine?)
Why is no one discussing the other side of this issue? I'm talking about the one that gives an owner / author / inventor, a right to their to intellectual or physical property via patents, trademarks and copyrights and a subsequent profit through free enterprise? Why should Apple or the record companies, authors and inventors of these works and products grant all competitors and the public at large, free access?
Help me out here folks, as I can't see communal theft, (or should I say "forced free sharing"), as a good sign for our future... financially or socially. Can't you just see it in 2010... "Our Chevy doesn't have air conditioning, but yours does. So, due to my rights as a member of society, I want to ride in your car instead of mine." OR... "We like MS Word better than our $10 copy of "Type A Lot," because it works so much better. So, we demand that Microsoft release all their technical information to "Type A Lot," for free, so they and therefore we, can benefit at Microsoft's expense."
You won't be ridin' in my Chevy.
Thanks for listening.
August
2-07-2007 @ 10:52AM
August said...
Sorry but one more thing...
The sign over the Apple iTunes door says just that... "Apple and iTunes." If you don't want waht they sell, (or the way they sell it)THEN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! There's a zillion places that sell music online competition abounds. Or buy the CD.
If you go to Ruth's Chris', buy a steak and don't like the way they season it, next time you'll GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Or if you don't like the WAY they provide service, next time you'll GO SOMEWHERE else. And if you don't like somewhere else, or the next place or the next place, you can always COOK YOUR OWN.
So it is with iTunes. They are a portal for music, just as Ruth's Chris' is for meat.
Thanks for listening.
August