Music: Internet: Now you can download pay-for songs on iTunes from EMI--without DRM copy blockade

Associated Press via CNN carries the news "EMI-Apple pen deal to sell songs" (Apr3,2k7). The EMI side of the partnership means that you can purchase for a little more per song thru Apple's iTunes improved digital recordings of Rolling Stones, Norah Jones, Coldplay and a whole lot more artists too (but not songs of the Beatles--no loss, to my ears!). And you can do so in about a month's time without those hi-tech blocks called DRMs (Digital R+ts Management technowreckers) that are currently installed in most online music downloads when you make your purchase.

EMI Group is the first and perhaps the only one of the Big Music corporations to break with the DRM technoblocks that prevent an owner from copying a song and perhaps sending it on non-commercially to friends, etc. You know, P2P file-sharing, person-to-person.

The announcement followed calls by Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs earlier this year for the world's four major record companies, including EMI Group PLC, to start selling songs online without copy-protection software.

Music, by Audiovisiotor

The Big Music holdouts are Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner.

The technology, known as digital rights management, or DRM, is designed to combat piracy by preventing unauthorized copying or sharing, but it also can be a consumer headache. Some music players, for instance, support one type of DRM software but not others.

The DRM used by Apple does not work with competing services or devices, meaning that consumers can only download songs from iTunes to work on their computers or iPod music players.

The lock between the download services and players has drawn criticism from European industry regulators, who argue that it limits buyer choice.

"Doing the right thing for the customer going forward is to tear down the walls that impede interoperability," Jobs told a London news conference.

Yes indeed!. Mr Jobs, but what about the point the Eurocrats are making--interoperability! Got a strategy for achieving that? And surrender your grasp on the digital music market thru your reigning advantage in the brilliant combo of iTunes Music Store and iPod? I doubt it.