DRM should be scrapped, says Steve Jobs.

[Stuart]

Yep, Steve (who thanks to owning iTunes is probably the most powerful man in downloaded music) is calling for the record companies to drop Digital Rights management. He claims (rightly in my opinion) that it has failed to stop piracy. He also points out that CDs, which account for 90% of sales, are generally unprotected..


I personally hope he succeeds..

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

[Nikesh]

I was just reading this story. I hope the record companies listen to him.

[verticalforce]

Pixar movies on itunes are DRM protected, aren't they?

Why don't Jobs open them?

Originally Posted by verticalforce

Pixar movies on itunes are DRM protected, aren't they?

Why don't Jobs open them?

Disney own Pixar now I guess, he is on the board though.

There are some labels that allow their music online without DRM, such as emusic,. but they are lacking big names. They also have difficulty outside the US since these deals are usually US only.

I would love removal of DRM as well, Apple did want this when they first made the deals for iTunes, ironically however it locked songs brought on iTunes which helped to drive iPod sales.....

Maybe iPod sales are being damaged by the fact songs brought elsewhere will not work on it, and if you buying off iTunes your likely to have an iPod anyway, regardless of DRM since iTunes works with iPod.

[SMHarman]

The fact is with a DRM'd iTune you just burn it to CD in CD format and then rip the CD. I guess you will lose some quality in the decode - encode (there is a word for this), but essentially iTunes DRM is broken with a CD and about 20 minutes. Thus what is the point.

Others are starting to package AAC decoding into their products (like the SE K800i phone).

[downquark1]

Bill Gates was reported as not being too happy with it a month or so ago.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/12/14...future-of-drm/