DRM is alive and well at Apple

By Stephen Pate
January 11, 2009
with story suggestion by Tech Dirt

While DRM is moving off iTunes music, Apple is still protecting video and proprietary systems like iPod with DRM. DRM or digital rights management makes it harder to download music and ruins CD’s even if you’ve paid full price.

You hate it. I hate it. Everyone hates it except the big labels, content providers and Apple.

Deeplinks reports the whole story Apple Shows us DRM’s True Colors

In fact, an inventory of Apple’s remaining DRM armory makes it vividly clear that DRM (backed by the DMCA) is almost always about eliminating legitimate competition, hobbling interoperability, and creating de facto technology monopolies:

* Apple uses DRM to lock iPhones to AT&T and Apple’s iTunes App Store;

* Apple uses DRM to prevent recent iPods from syncing with software other than iTunes (Apple claims it violates the DMCA to reverse engineer the hashing mechanism);

* Apple claims that it uses DRM to prevent OS X from loading on generic Intel machines;

* Apple’s new Macbooks feature DRM-laden video ports that only output certain content to “approved” displays;.

* Apple requires iPod accessory vendors to use a licensed “authentication chip” in order to make accessories to access certain features on newer iPods and iPhones;

* The iTunes Store will still lock down movies and TV programs with FairPlay DRM;

* Audiobook files purchased through the iTunes Store will still be crippled by Audible’s DRM restrictions.

DRM only slows down sales of products and frustrates novice users. Hacks are easily available online.