iTunes DRM-free before the year end?
There’s a lot of rumbling this morning on the intertubes about iTunes potentially going DRM-free on all labels as of today. It would be a dramatic change from Apple’s famously ‘locked-down’ way of doing things, and could damage the iPod’s sales as consumers learn they can play their media on other devices.
Download site 7Digital won a coveted Tech Digest Official Badge of Awesomeness earlier this year for being the first download site to go 100% DRM-free. Many have since followed, but iTunes remains a holdout, with the majority of its catalogue still lumbered with restrictions.
Adding to the evidence, over the last few weeks, isolated shoppers have noticed previously-protected songs selling without DRM, suggesting that Apple might be ‘bucket-testing’ the new service.
Lastly, one French site is suggesting that Apple will follow the DRM-free move with a press campaign called “12 Days of iTunes”, which would allow shoppers in France, Germany and the UK to download an “unlimited” amount of content. It would run from just after Christmas until Macworld begins on Jan 6th. Names suggested for the giveaway include Lily Allen, James Blunt, and an episode of Spongebob Squarepants.
iTunes (via AppleInsider)
Related posts: 7digital sign up Sony and go 100% DRM-free in their digital music store | RUMOUR: iTunes to add DRM-free Sony music
