From the LA Times:
Steve Jobs, the chief executive of Apple, wrote an open letter today asking the music industry to consider giving up anti-piracy software on the digital music it sells.
The letter, which can be seen at www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic, walks through the problems of anti-piracy software, also known as digital rights management, that is supposed to prevent consumers from copying digital music.
Jobs lists the problems with the software, which is often hacked and needs updating and prevents consumers from listening to their music wherever they like. He also points out that consumers are already buying compact discs and copying them digitally without facing controls to stop them.
What the letter doesn't spell out is how Apple and Microsoft were advocates for DRM use so that the music they sold through their online stores could only be played on their devices. Convincing record labels "to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace," wrote Jobs. "Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."
The letter comes as the music and film industries are actively talking about dropping the use of DRMs, which force consumers who buy music on Apple's online store iTunes to use the music only on the company's products. Many in the entertainment industry have expressed frustration with DRM and have talked about other ways to protect content without forcing consumers to stick with one kind of device.
"Rhetorically, he's been disingenuous," said Aram Sinnreich, managing partner at Radar Research in Los Angeles. "He's been metaphorically ramming it down their throats. To be fair, Apple has never been as DRM insane as Microsoft. Apple has put it in enough DRM to make it a pain in the butt for consumers to buy music on iTunes….and use it on non Apple devices."
"This is good for consumers and it's ultimately good for everyone," said Sinnreich.
Steve Jobs, the chief executive of Apple, wrote an open letter today asking the music industry to consider giving up anti-piracy software on the digital music it sells.
The letter, which can be seen at www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic, walks through the problems of anti-piracy software, also known as digital rights management, that is supposed to prevent consumers from copying digital music.
Jobs lists the problems with the software, which is often hacked and needs updating and prevents consumers from listening to their music wherever they like. He also points out that consumers are already buying compact discs and copying them digitally without facing controls to stop them.
What the letter doesn't spell out is how Apple and Microsoft were advocates for DRM use so that the music they sold through their online stores could only be played on their devices. Convincing record labels "to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace," wrote Jobs. "Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."
The letter comes as the music and film industries are actively talking about dropping the use of DRMs, which force consumers who buy music on Apple's online store iTunes to use the music only on the company's products. Many in the entertainment industry have expressed frustration with DRM and have talked about other ways to protect content without forcing consumers to stick with one kind of device.
"Rhetorically, he's been disingenuous," said Aram Sinnreich, managing partner at Radar Research in Los Angeles. "He's been metaphorically ramming it down their throats. To be fair, Apple has never been as DRM insane as Microsoft. Apple has put it in enough DRM to make it a pain in the butt for consumers to buy music on iTunes….and use it on non Apple devices."
"This is good for consumers and it's ultimately good for everyone," said Sinnreich.
