Two new options for DRM-haters
Is the tide turning against digital rights management? It certainly seems that way today, with online music stores clamouring to tell us about their cut-price DRM-free offerings. First Play.com said that it has started selling tracks from the four big record labels without software that limits where you can play it – and pointed out that its 65p entry-level price undercuts iTunes’s 79p flat rate. Then 7digital got in touch to say that they had the big four on board, no DRM, and prices starting at 50p.
Even taking into account the varying prices on the Play.com and 7digital, where some tracks come in above Apple’s fixed price, it can only be welcomed that music sellers are competing on both cost and DRM. If either site gains traction, and with iTunes dominating the legal download market that remains a big if, then Apple could be dislodged from its one-price, DRM-for-all policy.
Good to see DRM (Digital Ripoff Management) being removed.
Posted by: sedgwick | Oct 12, 2008 2:29:09 PM
Just a note: Much of the music available on iTunes is available DRM-Free. The same isn't true with video yet, however.
Posted by: noah | Oct 14, 2008 2:02:10 AM