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Apple and EMI announced DRM free music are available to purchase / download and Apple iTunes is the first music store that includes DRM-free songs from EMI, This means EMI will offer all songs and music video from itunes digital catalog without DRM. I personally think EMI has make a clever move since there is a strong demand on DRM free music. ( Testing earlier this year suggested people prefer non-DRM to DRM tracks 10:1).

Meanwhile, the quality of DRM free music also improved which means an encoding quality of 256 Kbps on DRM free music instead of the usual 128 Kbps. A much higher sound quality than existing downloads and free of digital rights management (DRM) restrictions.

As 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.”
However, there is a downside: The DRM free music will cost $1.29 per song compare usual price of $0.99 per song with DRM. ( A $0.30 increase per song compare the current prices ). But the customers still have the rights to choose either DRM music track with low quality or DRM free music track with higher quality. For the customers who purchased tracks previously, they can upgrade to DRM free tracks for $0.30 per song if they want to. But i feel strange why the music videos and entire music ablum without DRM still remain the current prices.

However, this announcement from EMI and Apple is truly a great move for music industry to avoid losses for the illegal spreading the song for freely. Meanwhile, DRM free music perhaps will help EMI for better growth rates in future and as good example to lead other music label for DRM free music industry. So, i believe is time we live without DRM and get rid of DRM altogether.

So, will you support DRM free music ?

Related:
Transcript of Apple’s press conference