Apple’s DRM iTunes price hikes
p2pnet.net news:- Apple boss Steve Jobs has done a complete turn about on DRM (Digital Restrictions Management) consumer control.
Having used it for years to channel punters to his, and only his, music player, he recently employed his famed RDF (reality distortion field) to blame DRM on corporate music cartel members EMI (Britain), Vivendi Universal (France), Sony BMG (Japan and Germany) and Warner Music (US).
“RDF is said to distort an audience’s sense of proportion or scale,” says the Wikipedia. “Small advances are applauded as breakthroughs. Interesting developments become turning points, or huge leaps forward. RDF focuses less on outright deception and more on warping the powers of judgment.”
Now, in new heights of cynicism, even for him, Jobs is using his brand-new anti-DRM stance as an excuse to hike the already usurious iTunes prices.
As a “new round of talks ramp up this month,” Jobs has, “opened the door to higher prices – as long as music companies let Apple Inc. sell their songs without technology designed to stop unauthorized copying,” says Associated Press.
“Jobs contends that would ‘tear down the walls’ by allowing consumers to play music they buy at Apple’s iTunes store on any digital music player, not just the company’s iPods.”
The mind boggles.
“For their part, at least two of the recording companies will ask Jobs to sell a wider variety of content in digital bundles of songs, videos and other multimedia, according to two recording company executives familiar with their companies’ plans,” says AP. “They spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the confidential nature of the negotiations.
“Apple already sells some bundled tracks, but the music companies hope expanding those offerings will boost online revenue and help offset lagging CD sales.”
But, “No matter what, Apple plans to continue selling standard, copy-restricted versions of songs for 99 cents each,” says the story, adding:
“With the EMI deal, Apple will this month start selling $1.29 premium tracks that are not only DRM-free but also of higher quality, compressed at twice the usual bit rate.”
This news will probably excite iTunes users, but the rest of the online music world, comprising the vast majority of online music lovers (whom the labels are trrying, unsuccessfully, to sue into becoming good corporate consumers) will continue to get their fixes from the growing range of independent music and musicians sites offering non-DRM, non-corporate downloads, not to mention the free p2p networks.
Also See:
Associated Press – Apple works to end music copy restrictions, April 20, 2007
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Tired of being treated like a criminal? They depend on you, not the other way around. Don’t buy their ‘product’. Do bug your local politicians. Use emails, snail-mail, phone calls, faxes, IM, stop them in the street, blog. And if you’re into organizing, organize petitions, organize demonstrations and then turn up on your local political rep’s doorstep, making sure you’ve contacted your local tv/radio station/newspaper in advance. Don’t just complain. Do something!
May 7th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Somebody needs to get a clue. Sure Apple uses itunes to sell ipods, that doesn’t mean the music labels will let them sell music without drm. Maybe that extra 30¢ will let Apple make a profit on the music they sell, bandwidth and storage isn’t free you know.