http://http://technology.guardian.co.uk/weekly/story/0,,2049769,00.html
Recommended by Mrs Fernandez.. you might have heard it on the radio this week.
EMI has announced plans to release its catalogue online without the copyright protection which has existed in the past. Sounds great, right? The record label will offer downloads without DRM (Digital Rights Management) but critics argue that "Apple still has a lock-in".
Johnson muses that the apparently win-win situation hides larger problems: does Apple's move really open iTunes up to everybody?
Cynics have accused EMI of feigning 'benevolence' and hiding the fact that they have actually been in financial difficulties of late.
Interestingly, the deal also covers music videos, "showing how video and audio are coming closer together". In contrast to Job's prediction, "not every record company is going to simply fall behind the idea".
So, is EMI simply playing on the fact that loyal customers have been having to pay high prices for a long time, as a 'reward' disguising a desperate attempt to up numbers, or can they afford this move and genuinely want to make downloading easier for music-lovers?
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