Recording companies fearing competition from Apple

Steve Jobs‘ anti-DRM statements have apparently scared movie and recording studios. DRM, or Digital Rights Management refers to control of access of copyright owners  to associated  digital works and devices; something that Apple and even Microsoft could eliminate in putting up an online music store within reach for anyone.

Recently, an elite group comprising of the world’s largest recording and movie studios, Coral Consortium, has released an open letter to Steve Jobs saying “We have been wrestling with the issues around interoperability for some years and have concluded that it is not so much a technology problem as a business problem.”

DRM has been an issue of technology, it would seem, until some up-and-coming bands and artists who weren’t able to earn themselves a recording deal from any of the major recording companies were finally able to sell their songs through iTunes. Recording companies insist that DRM-protected downloads are still better than those that are not, that if your music or movies for sale are readily available on the internet, they’re not very valuable, consumer-wise.

Recording and movie companies are surely facing tough competition. For sure, downloading DRM-free MP3s now is a business issue rather than one of technology; and the business issue is appearing to be bested by the techie companies already.

Steve Jobs‘ anti-DRM statements have apparently scared movie and recording studios. DRM, or Digital Rights Management refers to control of access of copyright owners  to associated  digital works and devices; something that Apple and even Microsoft could eliminate in putting up an online music store within reach for anyone.

Recently, an elite group comprising of the world’s largest recording and movie studios, Coral Consortium, has released an open letter to Steve Jobs saying “We have been wrestling with the issues around interoperability for some years and have concluded that it is not so much a technology problem as a business problem.”

DRM has been an issue of technology, it would seem, until some up-and-coming bands and artists who weren’t able to earn themselves a recording deal from any of the major recording companies were finally able to sell their songs through iTunes. Recording companies insist that DRM-protected downloads are still better than those that are not, that if your music or movies for sale are readily available on the internet, they’re not very valuable, consumer-wise.

Recording and movie companies are surely facing tough competition. For sure, downloading DRM-free MP3s now is a business issue rather than one of technology; and the business issue is appearing to be bested by the techie companies already.