Apple cuts copy protection and prices on iTunes

DaemonSeid · #1 01-07-2009, 08:20 AM

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple Inc. is cutting the price of some songs in its market-leading iTunes online store to as little as 69 cents and plans to make every track available without copy protection.

In Apple's final appearance at the Macworld trade show, Apple's top marketing executive, Philip Schiller, said Tuesday that iTunes song prices will come in three tiers: 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29. Record companies will choose the prices, which marks a significant change, since Apple previously made all songs sell for 99 cents.

Apple gave the record labels that flexibility on pricing as it got them to agree to sell all songs free of "digital rights management," or DRM, technology that limits people's ability to copy songs or move them to multiple computers. Apple had been offering a limited selection of songs without DRM, but by the end of this quarter, the company said, all 10 million songs in its library will be available that way.

While iTunes is the most popular digital music store, others have been faster to offer more songs without copy protection. Amazon.com Inc. started selling DRM-free music downloads in 2007 and swayed all the major labels to sign on in less than a year.

Schiller also announced that iPhone 3G users will be able to buy songs from the iTunes store using the cellular data network. Previously, iPhone users could shop for tunes when connected to a Wi-Fi hot spot.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/200901...apple_macworld

Kevin · #2 01-07-2009, 08:49 AM

They get it!!!

DRM, fwiw, ruined my Christmas present to my father. I bought him the bluray set of Band of Brothers. It wouldn't work in his player, so I updated the player to whatever the most recent version of its software, and it still didn't work. The disc kept popping up with some strange message about the player not being in "region one or region two" (or A or B or something like that), which is definitely not the case.

I'd be willing to bet that DRM and incompatibility cost the MPAA/RIAA constituents more than piracy ever will.

Phrozen1ne · #3 01-07-2009, 08:57 AM

Its about time.

DaemonSeid · #4 01-07-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

They get it!!!

DRM, fwiw, ruined my Christmas present to my father. I bought him the bluray set of Band of Brothers. It wouldn't work in his player, so I updated the player to whatever the most recent version of its software, and it still didn't work. The disc kept popping up with some strange message about the player not being in "region one or region two" (or A or B or something like that), which is definitely not the case.

I'd be willing to bet that DRM and incompatibility cost the MPAA/RIAA constituents more than piracy ever will.

Thanks for the warning...I have been eyeing that set since it came out....I already have it on Standard DVD....heh

What brand of player does he have and have you all called their customer service to get answers?

The region message simply means that the player and the disk must correspond to the country that each product was set for.

For instance: DVD players in the US are set to region 1 meaning all US made disks will play in them...anything made for Europe will not...you get the idea...now if you get lucky and find a blu ray player with a region 0 setting (global) you are doing pretty good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD_region_code

You may want to consider exchanging either the player or disk and see what happens...if you still get the same results, contact the companies about the DRM effed up products.

PM_Mama00 · #5 01-07-2009, 09:39 AM

If record companies choose what price to sell a song at, I'm curious how many songs will actually be 69cents. It'll probably be those few songs on an album that never make it to radio.

Kevin · #6 01-07-2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Thanks for the warning...I have been eyeing that set since it came out....I already have it on Standard DVD....heh

What brand of player does he have and have you all called their customer service to get answers?

He did.. it was one of those foreign call centers where the script the 'tech support' agent was completely inadequate.

Quote:

The region message simply means that the player and the disk must correspond to the country that each product was set for.

For instance: DVD players in the US are set to region 1 meaning all US made disks will play in them...anything made for Europe will not...you get the idea...now if you get lucky and find a blu ray player with a region 0 setting (global) you are doing pretty good.

It's a region 1 player, so there should be no issues. Everything else works fine on it. It's some sort of HDDVD/Blu-Ray player, I forget what brand, but it was pretty pricey.

Quote:

You may want to consider exchanging either the player or disk and see what happens...if you still get the same results, contact the companies about the DRM effed up products.

I'll be doing that last thing. This is ridiculous. The average consumer doesn't have the technical ability or means to update one of these players. Even when I did that, it still didn't work.

Like I said, DRM is going to cost the movie industry a lot of business.

DaemonSeid · #7 01-07-2009, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

He did.. it was one of those foreign call centers where the script the 'tech support' agent was completely inadequate.

It's a region 1 player, so there should be no issues. Everything else works fine on it. It's some sort of HDDVD/Blu-Ray player, I forget what brand, but it was pretty pricey.

I'll be doing that last thing. This is ridiculous. The average consumer doesn't have the technical ability or means to update one of these players. Even when I did that, it still didn't work.

Like I said, DRM is going to cost the movie industry a lot of business.

Dude...let me know if I can be of assistance...and an HD DVD/Blu Ray hybrid...yeah...I was initially looking for one of those.

When you find out the brand name and model number sned it to me, I may have some resources that can help.

There also may be a list out there of DVD players with movie incompatibilities...it's rare but it happens and that in part thanks to DRM.

You also may want to start here and see what you can find on your player.

http://www.blu-ray.com/

Kevin · #8 01-07-2009, 11:53 AM

It's an LG BH100.

KSig RC · #9 01-07-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

If record companies choose what price to sell a song at, I'm curious how many songs will actually be 69cents. It'll probably be those few songs on an album that never make it to radio.

I think you'll be surprised - check you Amazon's mp3 section, many albums go for incredibly cheap (in the $5-$7 range). The record labels are finally realizing that the majority of money won't be made through the actual music anymore, and as such, they're willing to drop prices to move product. When Girl Talk and Radiohead did their "pay what you wish" releases, the average payment price was something like $6 - that's what people want to pay, so I think you'll see a lot of albums drop to the $0.69 price across the board, especially for artists just below that first tier (example: Kanye may not go that low, but Katy Perry's group would at least consider it, and Modest Mouse would for sure).

DaemonSeid · #10 01-07-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSig RC

I think you'll be surprised - check you Amazon's mp3 section, many albums go for incredibly cheap (in the $5-$7 range). The record labels are finally realizing that the majority of money won't be made through the actual music anymore, and as such, they're willing to drop prices to move product. When Girl Talk and Radiohead did their "pay what you wish" releases, the average payment price was something like $6 - that's what people want to pay, so I think you'll see a lot of albums drop to the $0.69 price across the board, especially for artists just below that first tier (example: Kanye may not go that low, but Katy Perry's group would at least consider it, and Modest Mouse would for sure).

If people stop buying Kayne's crap I betcha it will...LOL

Thank God for the underground internet music movement.

TexasWSP · #11 01-07-2009, 02:28 PM

1. If you pay 1.29$ for a single song you are an idiot.

2. FWIW, I did a bunch of research on BluRay before I bought one and I consistently found that the PS3 was being recommended to me at least 4 outta 5 times. Got one and it's great.....(picked up Band of Brothers and Planet Earth on BR and they are both excellent.)

agzg · #12 01-07-2009, 02:34 PM

Live-in is a huge geek (and only I am allowed to say that!) so when Spore came out he got it for his PC. The DRM software on the disk screwed up his computer completely, and it took him several days to undo the damage.

He works in tech. Had it happened to me, I probably wouldn't have figured it out yet.

DaemonSeid · #13 01-07-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

It's an LG BH100.

aahhhhh yes.....I remember that player specifically...if memory serves, this was one of the early hybrids that came out and one of the biggest issues was its compatibility with blu ray and some HD DVD disks.

I will tell you this for certain, unless you really plan to dig for some old HD DVD movies, I would say sell the player (or if you still have the receipt and are able to) or take it back to the store and get a regular blu ray (as they don't sell HD DVDs in stores anymore, only online) thus the issue with the firmware. I can tell you this much, part of your issue may stem from the fact that since HD DVD isn't supported at all anymore, LG probably won't bother with too many firmware upgrades for that particular machine to help you solve your problem...furthermore guessing that your pop's machine came out a generation before the BoB blu ray was released, it may not play due to iteration of Blu ray firmware profile that is out...(similar to like when an OS gets an upgrade some things continue to work...some don't)

go peep this link again

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc

check out the section under Blu Ray Profiles for a better idea of what i am referring to.

Again, I would recommend trying to get a blu ray player and I actually have a recommendation for you at a good price.

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-...cm_cr-mr-title

Now if you look around hard enough like Circuit City or Best Buy, you CAN find it around the 250 or 260 mark.

agzg · #14 01-07-2009, 03:10 PM

DS the blue-ray you're recommending was the hottest selling item of the year.

I can only speak for the Chicago area, but it's sold out everywhere, and everyone is currently selling it at $300.

Costco had it on sale for $220 but went out of stock. Our order was canceled.

Circuit City and Best Buy carry them but the likelihood of having them in stock is slim-to-none, at least around here. Maybe Kevin's area would have better luck (but I doubt it).

DaemonSeid · #15 01-07-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alphagamzetagam

DS the blue-ray you're recommending was the hottest selling item of the year.

I can only speak for the Chicago area, but it's sold out everywhere, and everyone is currently selling it at $300.

Costco had it on sale for $220 but went out of stock. Our order was canceled.

Circuit City and Best Buy carry them but the likelihood of having them in stock is slim-to-none, at least around here. Maybe Kevin's area would have better luck (but I doubt it).

yep...and I got one...hehe

Honestly, I didn't realize it until after the fact..it's the 2nd highest rated player...next to the PS3 (and much cheaper)

Kevin check Sears or K mart BTW!!!