Steve Jobs 'Thoughts on Music'

[spicyapple]

Steve Jobs' Thoughts on Music linked from Apple.com

http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughtsonmusic/

With the stunning global success of Apple’s iPod music player and iTunes online music store, some have called for Apple to “open” the digital rights management (DRM) system that Apple uses to protect its music against theft, so that music purchased from iTunes can be played on digital devices purchased from other companies, and protected music purchased from other online music stores can play on iPods. Let’s examine the current situation and how we got here, then look at three possible alternatives for the future.

To begin, it is useful to remember that all iPods play music that is free of any DRM and encoded in “open” licensable formats such as MP3 and AAC. iPod users can and do acquire their music from many sources, including CDs they own. Music on CDs can be easily imported into the freely-downloadable iTunes jukebox software which runs on both Macs and Windows PCs, and is automatically encoded into the open AAC or MP3 formats without any DRM. This music can be played on iPods or any other music players that play these open formats... continued

[psychofreak]

Seems more reasonable than I thought it would be...

[BoyBach]

It appears that Apple is looking for the lawmakers to 'oblige' the music industry to stop imposing DRM on digital downloads.

I wonder how the 'Big Four' will respond to these comments, if at all?

[Peace]

Apple will sell DRM free music as soon as the others agree to do the same.Thus making it a level playing field.

[MacRumors]

This afternoon, Steve Jobs posted an article entitled "Thoughts on Music" on Apple.com.

In the article, he addresses recent calls for Apple and iTunes to "open" the digital rights management system on iTunes to allow other digital devices to play iTunes music and to allow other music store media to play on the iPod.

He reminds readers that the iPod can play unprotected content, and gives background on the reason for for digital rights management.

He then explores three different alternatives for the future:

1) Stay the course "with each manufacturer competing freely with their own “top to bottom” proprietary systems for selling, playing and protecting music. "

2) License FairPlay to other companies. "The most serious problem is that licensing a DRM involves disclosing some of its secrets to many people in many companies, and history tells us that inevitably these secrets will leak. .... Apple has concluded that if it licenses FairPlay to others, it can no longer guarantee to protect the music it licenses from the big four music companies"

3) Abolish DRMs entirely. "If the big four music companies would license Apple their music without the requirement that it be protected with a DRM, we would switch to selling only DRM-free music on our iTunes store. Every iPod ever made will play this DRM-free music."

Jobs argues that DRM doesn't work effectively and believes that Digital Rights Management should not be required by music companies.

"Convincing them to license their music to Apple and others DRM-free will create a truly interoperable music marketplace. Apple will embrace this wholeheartedly."

Apple has come under increasing pressure from some European consumer groups regarding FairPlay, perhaps prompting the article.

[spicyapple]

Steve really points out the hypocrisy of the music industry, but without actually using that word.

Go Steve!

[crees!]

There is the DRM on DVDs to prevent you from making a copy of a movie but then again what's to stop people from bypassing that? Obviously I can be done. So where are the studios then? They still use the same copy protection granted it's been breached. Why should Apple or any other company have to update their software in said amount of time from when a breach occurs?

Steve is right and not because he's the one who said it.

[EricNau]

Originally Posted by crees!

There is the DRM on DVDs to prevent you from making a copy of a movie but then again what's to stop people from bypassing that? Obviously I can be done. So where are the studios then? They still use the same copy protection granted it's been breached. Why should Apple or any other company have to update their software in said amount of time from when a breach occurs?

Steve is right and not because he's the one who said it.

Updating the DRM on DVDs would involve updating every DVD player in every home in America (and the world). DVD's aren't software; they can't be updated. It is just not possible.

[LethalWolfe]

Originally Posted by EricNau

Updating the DRM on DVDs would involve updating every DVD player in every home in America (and the world). DVD's aren't software; they can't be updated. It is just not possible.

The new DRM on BD and HD DVDs can be update dynamically. IIRC they can include the update on new movies so when you pop them in your player it will update the machine. I've also heard that in the future they'll be able to include the update in HDTV signals .


Lethal

[calicanuck]

I just sent an email to the Torgeir Waterhouse, the Senior advisor of the Norwegian Consumer Council who has already responded to Steve Jobs letter and basically said, nice try but not good enough. I just had to send him my thoughts on the matter. His email address is at the bottom if anyone would like to add a thought or two.


Dear Mr. Waterhouse,

I just read a response made by you to the letter Steve Jobs released today regarding DRM, iTunes and the iPod. I felt compelled to let you know that most people agree 100% with Mr. Jobs regarding the solution to this issue. All music should be completely DRM free, and the consumer should be able to decide from there which music player, jukebox software, operating system, computer platform they wish to use. The power to do that lies entirely in the hands of the music labels, which is who you should be targeting.

Apple is completely within their rights to sell hardware (iPod) that works with only with their own software. That is part of what makes their products a joy to use, because that tight integration of hardware and software is what makes the experience seamless, reliable, and headache free. To change that would create an inferior product, and thus a less satisfying experience for the consumer. Your argument that tying the iPod to iTunes and vice versa is somehow wrong, illegal, or against consumers best interests is without any merit whatsoever.

There is plenty of choice in digital music today. There is few, if any consumers who have a problem with the selection of music players, the software that plays them and the ways in which they are combines. What people do have a problem with is that they are not free to play music that they have legally bought where they want, when they want and how they want. That is something only the record labels can change. If you want to do something useful, beneficial and constructive, leave Apple alone and focus on the real problem.

Respectfully yours,

____

You can email him at torgeir.waterhouse@forbrukerradet.no

[gugy]

Originally Posted by spicyapple

Steve really points out the hypocrisy of the music industry, but without actually using that word.

Go Steve!

Very True, That's why Steve is so ahead of his time.
Meanwhile the music industry still so much last century.

I thank god the we have Apple and Steve. without these two it would be a very backwards technology world.

[radio893fm]

Originally Posted by gugy

That's why Steve is so ahead of his time.

You are kidding right? Please tell me you are... who was the one that made the iTunes store files playable only on the iPod (including Motorola's phone)? Who was the one that cried when Real Media cracked those files? If he cared so much about US the customers and really wanted us to do whatever the hell we wanted with our songs, then he would have made iTunes compatible with all the player in the world... he is so hypocritical, but he wants to sell iPods so we can't really blame him.

Its all about the money...

This is just another PR game... and Steve is very good at it!

[Peace]

The solution is not playsforsure or any other current DRM.

I call it OpenDRM.

It's a DRM that is cross-platform and will play on any mp3 player.This allows the record industry to breath a little better while creating healthy competition between various online music sellers.

These "OpenDRM" songs could be downloaded from any music service and played on any player.

The various online services could compete for business in any legal fashion.

[gugy]

Originally Posted by radio893fm

You are kidding right? Please tell me you are... who was the one that made the iTunes store files playable only on the iPod (including Motorola's phone)? Who was the one that cried when Real Media cracked those files? If he cared so much about US the customers and really wanted us to do whatever the hell we wanted with our songs, then he would have made iTunes compatible with all the player in the world... he is so hypocritical, but he wants to sell iPods so we can't really blame him.

Its all about the money...

This is just another PR game... and Steve is very good at it!

Sure, it's all about the money, but look at the other option. Microsoft. Sorry I rather have Steve hypocrisy than Bill gets one.
It's true, he's selling Apple, but hey I rather have Apple that most of the time give me great products (hardware & software) than go to Microsoft, Dell and others.
At least at the end of the day I have a great user experience and my computer and iPod is 99% reliable. That's what I want and Steve is offering me it.

[EagerDragon]

Originally Posted by spicyapple

Steve really points out the hypocrisy of the music industry, but without actually using that word.

Go Steve!

hypocricy = inconsistency or disparity in business terms, lol.

[dernhelm]

Originally Posted by spicyapple

Steve really points out the hypocrisy of the music industry, but without actually using that word.

Go Steve!

You captured it perfectly. Now if it would only have some effect. It is interesting that Steve was appealing to governments outside the US. Perhaps he's already given up trying to get the US government to see sense.

Originally Posted by Windowlicker

Don't know if you were aware, but many Windows people hate putting iTunes on their computers and that basically makes less people buy iPods. And while I think iTunes is hands down the best mp3 player in the market, some people do wanna use winamp and such.

Being able to mount a 3rd party mp3 player on your desktop is enough to get itms music work on it --- as long as it doesn't have drm on it.

I'm all for competition, but Apple isn't worried about the number of people who don't buy and iPod because they don't want iTunes running on their Windows computer for some unknown philosophical reason. Right now anyway, the number of iPods sold eclipses every other player by a ridiculous margin, and the main reason for that is the experience is just better. iTunes is a large reason that the experience is better, so it seems to me that iTunes has sold a lot more iPods than they would have sold if they would have "cheapened" the experience and tried to make the iPod work with everyone else's jukebox software.

[radian23]

I really don't think other players should be allowed to use itunes. Itunes is an integral part for the iPod which helps it separate itself from the competition. If you want to use iTunes get an iPod.

[Project]

100% truth being spoken here. I have to applaud Apple/Steve for coming out and being open about this. Its a refreshing change.

[Rocketman]

Originally Posted by Project

100% truth being spoken here. I have to applaud Apple/Steve for coming out and being open about this. Its a refreshing change.

Agreed. The most telling statistic was that only 3% of music on iPods are iTunes sourced. This means Apple is offering iTunes as a low priority convenience service. Most people most of the time are NOT employing it, except to manage their unprotected music.

I want to see Steve's open letter on Vista and Gates' and Balmer's public comments. That will be a keeper, and please let it be released in Quicktime too. The expressions will be priceless.

Rocketman

Hi Steve See you at the rocket launch.

[morespce54]

Originally Posted by Project

100% truth being spoken here. I have to applaud Apple/Steve for coming out and being open about this. Its a refreshing change.

yep. kudo steve-o

[sycho]

Originally Posted by radian23

I really don't think other players should be allowed to use itunes. Itunes is an integral part for the iPod which helps it separate itself from the competition. If you want to use iTunes get an iPod.

Other players can sync with the DRM-less music at the moment.

[Diatribe]

DRM-free, downloadable music... as if that is ever gonna happen.

[Bobdude161]

Well-said Steve.

[dongmin]

Originally Posted by Diatribe

DRM-free, downloadable music... as if that is ever gonna happen.

It's happened: emusic.

What's puzzling is why Apple insists on adding DRM to music from these independent lables when they don't require it for emusic.

[Stella]

I thought that was a very good article. I'm pleased to read that Apple would embrace non DRM music store, if it could - and recongises that this would be a benefit to the consumer, over the hideous situation we face today - that is - vendor lock-in.

SJ is correct when he says that vendor lock in represents only a small percentage of music. But face it - downloading music is more convienent IMO. As music stores become more popular, Apple and otherswill face increased pressure to license out their DRM - read: which ever music store is the most popular at the time.

People say - if you don't like it buy a CD. HOWEVER, they are missing a HUGE point. You cannot go into HMV and buy music on a track by track basis like you can with iTunes - or any other store for that matter. That is a major pull of online music stores.

I found it interesting to read regarding the 'time limit' that apple have to fix DRM breaches.

97% of music is DRM-free - its only digital music that is DRMed - which represents a very small amount. When you put it like that - DRM sounds like a very strange beast, indeed. You won't beat piracy when you have a situation like this.


As for 'you should only use iTMS if you have an iPod'. Get real. I'm glad you like you consumer rights being limited.