Universal Goes DRM Free Without Apple
08.13.07 - 12:39pm
Universal is taking the bold move to go DRM free, but they will be going there for at least the next six months without the biggest online retail store, iTunes.
Universal has fought with Apple notoriously since iTunes first came online. Universal wanted varied music pricing and Apple refused to budge from the 99 cents per song.
They also fought over DRM restrictions particularly when Apple negotiated with EMI for DRM free music, changing the wave of online DRM for all involved like it or not.
During the latest contract negotiations talks fell apart and ended with Universal still leaving songs on Apple but without a long term contract meaning that should the music company decide to they could pull their songs at any time.
Almost seemingly to spite Apple, Universal is now offering songs for none other than the 99 cents it fought with Apple over and DRM free.They are not letting Apple have the DRM free songs however at least for the next six months and are instead allowing Apple’s online competitors to have them incuding gBox, Walmart, Best Buy, and RealNetworks Inc.’s Rhapsody.
While it may be an extra step to download and transfer the DRM free music into iTunes to go on your iPod people may be fully willing to do so to be able to play the songs on any device they like and while iTunes is still in control should Universal decide to pull their music from iTunes it would be a huge blow to Apple.
Doug Morris, UMG’s chairman and CEO said, “Universal Music Group is committed to exploring new ways to expand the availability of our artists’ music online, while offering consumers the most choice in how and where they purchase and enjoy our music. This test, which is a continuation of a series of tests that UMG began conducting earlier in the year, will provide valuable insights into the implications of selling our music in an open format.”
The testing of the DRM free songs will begin August 21, 2007 and go through January 31, 2008.
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