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Apple's Move May Make AAC Music Industry Standard
stivi writes "BusinessWeek has up an article about a war: a standards war in the online music business. Apple's recent deal with EMI to sell DRM-free songs from the publisher's catalog on iTunes may clinch the iPod's AAC format as the industry standard. The article talks about possible reasons why AAC might marginalize WMA, as well as deals with some of the implications of drm-free aac-standardized industry. 'Online music stores, like Napster, Yahoo Music, URGE, and all the others that sell WMA songs will be forced to consider jumping into the DRM-free AAC camp, and thus become iPod compatible, and in so doing become competitors of iTunes. Apple will be fine with this, because in its range of priorities, anything that sells more iPods can only be a good thing. With time, practically all music stores will be selling iPod-compatible songs. This will be considered a Richter 10 event at Microsoft.'"
People are put off buying digital music because of the restrictions; remove those and everyone will enjoy digital music like they enjoy CDs.
LOL!!!!1111!!!11 When are slashdotters going to understand this very simple FACT: Joe Sixpack does not give a damn about DRM. It hasn't stopped him from getting what he wants in the fashion he wants it in. Sure, it's all the rage around slashdot but that 0.001% of the marketshare is neither break the bank nor is it buttering their bread. While I see the value in the "DRM boycott" the fact is that it makes no real difference.
If the current digital music industry disappeared overnight, hardly anyone would notice.
You're probably right but if the current P2P "music industry" disappeared you'd be hearing an earful about it tomorrow. Joe knows there is free music to be gotten. he may throw in a few bucks here and there but for the most part iTunes, eMusic or whatever the hell MS has going on as far as digital music goes can't beat the price of P2P.
You'll find that most people use iPods with their own ripped CDs because DRM is just so much hassle and hence all the negative coverage.
Most people with their iPods don't give a damn about DRM either. iTunes purchases work just as advertised and iTunes software can rip the CD. So where is the DRM hassle you're talking about? Where's the negative coverage that your whole argument is based on? Please, don't bother me with some geeks blog. I want a substantial source that is out there saying that Apple is failing in the internet music business model. n00bs to the iPod are in love with it and still shelling out bucks for it. I've even bought iTunes music considering my large CD collection. Then again, I believe in supporting the artist. There isn't a lot of that sentiment in the larger circles of the P2P pirates.
If the threat of the RIAA were to go away the internet will turn into a free-for-all (excuse the pun) music swap-meet.
Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
Maybe it's because he's not a brickheadedly literal-minded pedant like autistic ol' you.
And now, a PSA from David Lynch.