Steve Jobs Announces (some) DRM-free iTunes

Fjan11 writes "Steve Jobs just announced that starting next month on you can buy higher quality 256Kbps AAC encoded DRM-free versions of iTunes songs for $1.29. Upgrades to songs you've already bought will be available at the $0.30 price difference. Currently EMI is the only publisher participating, accounting for about 20% of the songs available." There's also reports from Reuters and ABC News. The deal excludes the Beatles. You can also read the official press release from Apple if you still think this a late joke; this story confirms earlier speculation.

Comments

Rats foiled again..

[Technician]

you can buy higher quality 256Kbps AAC encoded DRM-free versions of iTunes songs

Because iTunes had DRM, and I don't do DRM, my choice of player did not include the iTunes format. Now that they don't have DRM, I still can't shop there. My player is MP3/non-DRM-WMA. I wonder how long it will be before they move to more popular formats.

I have a feeling that since AAC is a "Protected Patented" format, that P-P sites will be very closely watched for the sudden popularity of AAC files. A sudden rise in the format in P-P may be a good indicator of the amount of non-DRM loss to piracy. Do buying customers pirate? I would also be cautious. The file format may contain a watermark. If your copy is on the net, there could be problems. Keep your eyes open for watermarks or other embeded spying.

Re:New prices

[Seumas]

They want me to pay about the same price of a full retail CD that I could rip to whatever bitrate I like without DRM, but for a lower quality digital version in a proprietary format? Boy, I can't wait. Sign me up.

If they're charging for the bitrate and lack of DRM, then they should start selling physical CDs for about $85.

This is nothing more than punching you in the testicles and then charging you to make me stop. Or, at least, to punch softer.

Woof

[locokamil]

F*** you and your ilk, Steve Jobs. Why should I have to pay more for DRM free music? If we're getting *less* than what we would get with your DRM laden crap, we should be paying less too.

I'll be upstairs ripping my CDs, thanks.

Re:Good job everyone!

[DJCacophony]

You can also burn your entire DRM'd ITMS collection to cds, and then rip the cds back to the computer in a more fair-use-friendly format, but as I mentioned before, Apple is banking on the fact that most users won't.

What?!? No Beatles???

[ryanvm]

I like how the deal excludes the Beatles. Oh no! What will the iPod generation do? Guess what Beatles - you aren't that hot anymore. Nobody with an iPod gives a fuck if you don't come to the party.

Re:Good job everyone!

[DJCacophony]

Don't fool yourself, DRM'd WMA and DRM'd AAC serve the same purpose; To attempt to control the online music industry, and to attempt to control what people do with the music they buy online. Apple is just as guilty as Microsoft when it comes to DRMing music, because they both do it. Do you think Apple DRMs music because the industry makes them, but Microsoft DRMs music because they choose to? Please. The music industry needs the support of online music sellers just as much as online music sellers need the support of the music industry. Microsoft or Apple could demand DRM-less music and record industries would have to comply, because they know they would lose tons of money to piracy or lack of purchasing if they didn't. The problem here isn't simply that the music industry is evil, the problem is that the music industry, the music resellers, and the online music stores all have the same interests in mind, and all those interests involve screwing the consumer.

Re:Where are all those anti-Jobs people now?

[Ash-Fox]

After Jobs made his "get rid of DRM" speech a month or two ago, they were coming out of the woodwork blasting him for being a hypocrite. Maybe these know-nothings will now realize that he couldn't make these changes on his own, he needed the labels themselves to come along.

Because lower quality AAC files without DRM than the ones with DRM that cost the same price as a CD are what people wanted.

NOW that one of them is promoting anti-DRM versions, expect the indy stuff to follow suit.

Yay for lower quality music where one can hear artifacts?

Re:Good job everyone!

[DJCacophony]

In your pathetic straw-man argument, you failed to acknowledge the fact that Apple refuses to license their DRM scheme to other mp3 players in order to form a monopoly, whereas Microsoft happily licenses their DRM scheme to whoever asks for it in order to encourage interoperability.