Microsoft wants to get rid of DRM, too.

Recoil42

http://www.playfuls.com/news_06879_After_Apple_Microsoft_Wants_To_Sell_DRM_Free_Songs.html
http://news.google.com/?ncl=1115151718&hl=en

After EMI and Apple announced the introduction of DRM free songs on iTunes store is Microsoft’s turn to sign a similar deal. Speaking with Times, Jason Reindorp, head of marketing for Zune, hinted that Microsoft will sell DRM free songs via its Zune platform

“We've been saying for a while that we are aware that consumers want to have unprotected content.”, Reindrop said. British music giant EMI Group PLC said Monday it would start selling much of its music without anti-copying software.

The third-largest recording company, which made its announcement with Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs, said it would sell songs through Apple's iTunes store beginning next month and possibly later through other online outlets.

By providing downloads without the anti-copying "digital-rights management" software, "we aim to address the lack of interoperability, which is frustrating for many music fans," EMI CEO Eric Nicoli said. iTunes would sell individual EMI tracks, with their DRM removed, at twice the sound quality of existing downloads for $1.29.
”This does open things up a little bit. It potentially makes the competition more of a device-to-device or service-to-service basis, and will force the various services to really innovate.” Reindrop said for Times.

Also, a Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed the potential agreement for IDG News Service. "The EMI announcement on Monday was not exclusive to Apple," said Microsoft spokeswoman on the Zune team, in an e-mail to the IDG News Service.

Tough, EMI declined to comment a possible deal with Microsoft but confirmed that the two companies are negotiating. Zune Marketplace, a service similar with iTunes, offers already music from EMI.

Last year, an interview with Techcrunch, Bill Gates expressed his opinions about said that the current DRM technologies are too complicated for regular users and they are better off purchasing music CDs and ripping the music from them for listening on computers and portable music players.

According to Michael Arrington of TechCrunch, Gates noted that DRM “causes too much pain for legitimate buyers” and overall is not an effective solution. He went on to say that “DRM is not where it should be, but you won’t get me to say that there should be usage models and different payment models for usage. At the end of the day, incentive systems do make a difference, but we don’t have it right with incentives or interoperability.”

Oh yes.

All I can say is, a world where I can buy Zune Marketplace songs for my iPod, and iTunes songs for my Zune is a world I'd definitely like to live in.

Davor

I'm glad companies like microsoft are finally starting to realize that DRM (at least in it's current form) is silly, and only punishes their customers, who are actually buying their product legitimately anyway. Customers should not have to steal product to use it without a hassle & headache.

Thanks to Stardock, THQ, & Relic for proving that you don't need DRM to be profitable.

Rook

Davor wrote: »

I'm glad companies like microsoft are finally starting to realize that DRM (at least in it's current form) is silly, and only punishes their customers, who are actually buying their product legitimately anyway. Customers should not have to steal product to use it without a hassle & headache.

Thanks to Stardock, THQ, & Relic for proving that you don't need DRM to be profitable*.

* depending on country of purchase

Einhander

Doesn't Microsoft pay a hugeass fucking "licensing fee" to the RIAA for every Zune they manufacture?

I thought I remember reading something about the RIAA going after both Microsoft and Apple, claiming that their digital music players were tools of piracy, and Microsoft caved.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Rook

It was Universal.

squirly

I think you might be talking about the Universal 'fee' thing which isn't anywhere near as bad as the magical folk on the interwebs made it sound, I'll see if I can find the page which explains so.

Edit: Beaten by Rook. /stabs

Rook

It's only a a dollar per zune though, so not exactly a hugeass fee.

Universal must have made like $50 now I guess.

Davor

Rook wrote: »

Davor wrote: »

I'm glad companies like microsoft are finally starting to realize that DRM (at least in it's current form) is silly, and only punishes their customers, who are actually buying their product legitimately anyway. Customers should not have to steal product to use it without a hassle & headache.

Thanks to Stardock, THQ, & Relic for proving that you don't need DRM to be profitable*.

* depending on country of purchase

Indeed.

So sorry Russia.

Mindstorm

$54, we've sold a total of four Zunes at the store I work at.

iPods? We've sold more like 20-40 in that same time period.

But yeah, this is a good idea.

Einhander

A dollar per Zune sounds like a lot of money, but more importantly, it sets a precedent for the next time a media company wants to screw someone out of some more money.

Nice going being a candyass, Microsoft.

I'm wondering how much of this is Microsoft actually deciding that DRM is bad contrasted to how much of this is Microsoft just wanting to feature-match Apple and get some good PR from the music-consumer communty while they do it? If it's Microsoft genuinly feeling that DRM is bad, then they'd want to lighten up on the DRM used in Vista for movie playback, right? So I doubt it.

Doesn't matter, though, since being able to buy a song and then play it on whatever the fuck I want (for whatever reason) is never a bad thing.

Morskittar

Einhander wrote: »

If it's Microsoft genuinly feeling that DRM is bad, then they'd want to lighten up on the DRM used in Vista for movie playback, right? So I doubt it.

I'm genuinely curious about the HD DRM in Vista; it is apparently a necessary concession to have the option of providing HD content, but I wonder how much clout MS would have in swinging weight around to fight something like that? Perhaps possible, but not worth it?

Still, whatever the reasons, more major tech companies decrying the RIAA/MPAA's DRM-frenzy is a good thing.

Rook

Morskittar wrote: »

Einhander wrote: »

If it's Microsoft genuinly feeling that DRM is bad, then they'd want to lighten up on the DRM used in Vista for movie playback, right? So I doubt it.

I'm genuinely curious about the HD DRM in Vista; it is apparently a necessary concession to have the option of providing HD content, but I wonder how much clout MS would have in swinging weight around to fight something like that? Perhaps possible, but not worth it?

Still, whatever the reasons, more major tech companies decrying the RIAA/MPAA's DRM-frenzy is a good thing.

I think movies are a very different case than music. The main problem with the DRM restrictions on music was the lack of interoperability between the music being sold and the various digital players. This really doesn't affect video content in any meaningful way.

Although I think the ability to make a "managed copy" of your films is one of the reasons that microsoft and intel are (or were) behind the HD-DVD camp. Although how much clout they have is probably very little.

Koekjes

Einhander wrote: »

A dollar per Zune sounds like a lot of money, but more importantly, it sets a precedent for the next time a media company wants to screw someone out of some more money.

Nice going being a candyass, Microsoft.

I'm wondering how much of this is Microsoft actually deciding that DRM is bad contrasted to how much of this is Microsoft just wanting to feature-match Apple and get some good PR from the music-consumer communty while they do it? If it's Microsoft genuinly feeling that DRM is bad, then they'd want to lighten up on the DRM used in Vista for movie playback, right? So I doubt it.

Doesn't matter, though, since being able to buy a song and then play it on whatever the fuck I want (for whatever reason) is never a bad thing.

That DRM embedded in Windows Vista has just as much to do with the Microsoft's partners in the HD DVD format as it does with Microsoft itself. It may be that the folks in Redmond don't like DRM at all but they have to play nice with their buisness partners even if their ideas are totally hosed.