Is DRM Now Officially Dead?
Apple, Inc. announced a new pricing scheme for its iTunes Store Tuesday, giving users more access to Digital Rights Management-free music. However, come April, expect to see new tracks starting at $1.29 instead of the traditional $0.99.
The new contract that Apple signed with the “big four” of the music industry – Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Warner Music Group, and EMI – will allow for a tiered pricing plan in exchange for higher-quality downloads and the freedom of having no DRM. Songs can now be priced individually at $0.69, $0.99, or $1.29 levels depending on release and popularity. Album pricing should stay the same, at about $10.
But how will this affect the average college student? Well…it depends.
If you already use iTunes to buy songs, then it really doesn’t matter. You’ll probably continue to use it no matter the cost. Watch out for the up sell that they are now providing, though. A lot of the music you purchased before is now eligible to be upgraded for $0.30 cents a song (discount for upgrading full albums). But it adds up quickly. I checked my songs, and found I could be shelling out nearly $40. The frugal student in me says that I could probably spend that money on new music I don’t already have. I’d suggest the same to you.
If you are a bargain hunter, then Amazon may be your oasis in the music world. With new songs more than likely starting at $1.29 at iTunes, you’ll be saving at least $0.30 a song. But if songs you are looking for are less popular or older, then the possibility of only paying $0.69 is a bit tempting. Amazon’s selection is its only limiting factor, though. And there’s nothing to say that new contracts with Amazon may force the tiered pricing platform on them as well.
If you own an MP3 player without the iconic apple on the back, this is great news for you. You can now get iTunes quality songs for your Zune, Sansa, or whatever other player you may have. Since Apple's DRM scheme is gone on most songs, you can transfer the music easily to your player (after converting to a more friendly format, such as MP3). This opens up a new media store option for you to get oyur music from at possibly cheaper prices.
Luckily, it looks like you have some time to make your decision on whether you will purchase music from iTunes or from other companies after this announcement. The new pricing takes effect in April. And most (if not all) of the libraries from the participating companies have already been changed over to the higher quality versions.
http://www.examiner.com/x-2358-Cleve...ncrypted-songs
So now that quite literally the largest provideer of DRM protected media has decided to drop DRM, does this signal the end for digital rights management technology in its current form?
I know a lot of adult programs dropped DRM years ago, with only a few still embracing the technology, do you think that this is going to signal the end of an era for digital rights?
Regards,
Lee
