News - EMI dumping DRM?

[matgb]

EMI dumps DRM on iTunes. Is the glacier moving?

Only on iTunes, but DRM free is good regardless.

ETA: Not just on iTunes. EMI Press Release:

From today, EMI's retailers will be offered downloads of tracks and albums in the DRM-free audio format of their choice in a variety of bit rates up to CD quality. EMI is releasing the premium downloads in response to consumer demand for high fidelity digital music for use on home music systems, mobile phones and digital music players. EMI's new DRM-free products will enable full interoperability of digital music across all devices and platforms.

Comments

[mooism.livejournal.com]

Will Apple let independent music companies’ music be sold free of DRM through iTunes? They’ve been refusing so far.

99p per track is overpriced in comparison to CDs.

Still, it’s a major move forwards.

[matgb]

Agree on all points, I don't plan on using iTunes any time soon, but if EMI is going to allow DRM free stuff on lots of different retail sites, then the other labels will follow, and we can see a genuine market.

Don't know anything about Apple and independents, but if they want to limit their product range then more fool them.

[mooism.livejournal.com]

Until today it has been a condition of selling your music through iTunes that it have Apple’s DRM on it. It’s not clear to me whether this rule is history, or whether EMI is a special case.

This is why Apple’s open letter about DRM the other week stank of hypocrisy.