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Apple's iTunes store and other music vendors will begin selling DRM-free music downloads. In a press release today, the announcement was made at EMI Records.
The DRM-less tracks at Apple iTunes will sell for $1.29 each as a premium service. 99 cent tracks of the same recordings will be available in the present format.
Steve Jobs hopes to have other labels go this route and have iTunes completely DRM free by the end of the year.
DRM free will mean that tracks will be cross compatible with other music players, though Apple will offer their tracks in unprotected AAC. I don't know of other players that can do AAC. Other vendors will be able to sell MP3. So you could buy from Amazon.com and play em on your iPod.
More details:
Apple Unveils Higher Quality DRM-Free Music at iTunes Store.
Anticipation also remains high that The Beatles catalog will soon be available online. Hopefully that includes other artists also on Apple Records.
Apple's iTunes store to be the first online music store to sell EMI's new downloads
London, 2 April 2007 -- EMI Music today announced that it is launching new premium downloads for retail on a global basis, making all of its digital repertoire available at a much higher sound quality than existing downloads and free of digital rights management (DRM) restrictions.
The new higher quality DRM-free music will complement EMI's existing range of standard DRM-protected downloads already available. From today, EMI's retailers will be offered downloads of tracks and albums in the DRM-free audio format of their choice in a variety of bit rates up to CD quality. EMI is releasing the premium downloads in response to consumer demand for high fidelity digital music for use on home music systems, mobile phones and digital music players. EMI's new DRM-free products will enable full interoperability of digital music across all devices and platforms.
Eric Nicoli, CEO of EMI Group, said, "Our goal is to give consumers the best possible digital music experience. By providing DRM-free downloads, we aim to address the lack of interoperability which is frustrating for many music fans. We believe that offering consumers the opportunity to buy higher quality tracks and listen to them on the device or platform of their choice will boost sales of digital music.
"Apple have been a true pioneer in digital music, and we are delighted that they share our vision of an interoperable market that provides consumers with greater choice, quality, convenience and value for money."
"Selling digital music DRM-free is the right step forward for the music industry," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "EMI has been a great partner for iTunes and is once again leading the industry as the first major music company to offer its entire digital catalogue DRM-free."
London, 2 April 2007 -- EMI Music today announced that it is launching new premium downloads for retail on a global basis, making all of its digital repertoire available at a much higher sound quality than existing downloads and free of digital rights management (DRM) restrictions.
The new higher quality DRM-free music will complement EMI's existing range of standard DRM-protected downloads already available. From today, EMI's retailers will be offered downloads of tracks and albums in the DRM-free audio format of their choice in a variety of bit rates up to CD quality. EMI is releasing the premium downloads in response to consumer demand for high fidelity digital music for use on home music systems, mobile phones and digital music players. EMI's new DRM-free products will enable full interoperability of digital music across all devices and platforms.
Eric Nicoli, CEO of EMI Group, said, "Our goal is to give consumers the best possible digital music experience. By providing DRM-free downloads, we aim to address the lack of interoperability which is frustrating for many music fans. We believe that offering consumers the opportunity to buy higher quality tracks and listen to them on the device or platform of their choice will boost sales of digital music.
"Apple have been a true pioneer in digital music, and we are delighted that they share our vision of an interoperable market that provides consumers with greater choice, quality, convenience and value for money."
"Selling digital music DRM-free is the right step forward for the music industry," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "EMI has been a great partner for iTunes and is once again leading the industry as the first major music company to offer its entire digital catalogue DRM-free."
Steve Jobs hopes to have other labels go this route and have iTunes completely DRM free by the end of the year.
DRM free will mean that tracks will be cross compatible with other music players, though Apple will offer their tracks in unprotected AAC. I don't know of other players that can do AAC. Other vendors will be able to sell MP3. So you could buy from Amazon.com and play em on your iPod.
More details:
Apple Unveils Higher Quality DRM-Free Music at iTunes Store.
Anticipation also remains high that The Beatles catalog will soon be available online. Hopefully that includes other artists also on Apple Records.
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