APPLE <3 DRM

(q) = a question mark. the key doesn't work.

Sinnreich's article "Right Move, Wrong Reasons: Inside the EMI|Apple Deal" is one of the more for-the-people article's we've read in class, and for that reason I really enjoyed it. I thought it was an article that most people can relate to, especially because most people, or basically--everyone has an ipod and used the itunes application. The article gives a brief overview of the digital music business, of DRMs', and of why Apple has been able to retain such tight control over it in the last decade.

Almost everyone hates DRM, except for maybe Steve Jobbs. It restrains so many of the liberties that digital music consumers should be able to have.. and is one of the reasons so many of them turn to illegal downloading which gives them songs in the simple MP3 format. It's not only about getting it for free, but it's also about the amount of liberty they have with it once the song is in their hands. It's easier, and better. Why pay for less rights(q) And even having access to them is so easy, since every single hit makes it onto a peer to peer network, where over one billion songs are traded each month.

So, not only is DRM difficult, but it has also shifted the market power and control from the record labels to the retailers.. which is mainly to Apple, the digital music monopoly. And its all basically because of the iPOD, which, through it's simplicity and incredible marketing has made it into almost EVERYONE'S pocket. I can't even name one person who I know that doesn't own an iPOD. The problem with Apple's itunes songs is that they are DRM protected, but only play on Apple's device. And Apple has not wanted to share this license with other companies and has therefore remained as a monopoly while not allowing the digital music business to succeed and grow: 90% of all digital music purchases spent by American's goes to Apple. 

Anyway, although this is the way Apple has worked in the past, Jobbs announced that he was ready to embrace an end to DRM, but this has raised many questions. Why would he want to do that when he's getting so much out of DRM technology(q). Apparently it's because of the iPHONE... and finally Apple is opening up a little more. So it's being done, but not really for the consumers, but for their own business reasons. Well, in the end, Jobbs announced that by the end of 2007 half of the songs on the iTunes music service would be available DRM free, for $1.29. And from what I've seen, they are. Finally, Apple's monopoly might be a bit reduced and the market will be open to competition. Maybe this way, slowly, we'll find a way out of this mess with the music business...