Macworld 2009: DRM-Free ITunes

Heavily anticipated for weeks, the announcements at Macworld 2009 brought joyful cheers and left hardcore Apple fans satisfied. Despite the absence of largely expected Mac Mini and iMac updates, the new iLife and iWork '09 along with the newly redesigned 17-inch Macbook Pro proved to be more than adequate overhauls compared to last year's suite.

However, the most significant announcement may have been the introduction of DRM (Digital Rights Management) -free music into iTunes. Previously, only iTunes Plus music was DRM-free and high quality, but its distinction was compromised with higher pricing. By changing all of the iTunes Music Store songs to iTunes Plus quality, this must be a win-win situation for Apple and the consumers, no? People once hesitant about Apple's DRM and lower music quality must be ecstatic and considering buying from iTunes now right? Maybe. BUT, DRM was not just a way for music companies to prevent unauthorized sharing. DRM was also the invisible link to the world's most popular music player: the iPod.

Now, Apple must have benefited in some way from DRM-enabled music. Their latest compromise to revamping the iTunes Store was to change the pricing of some of their songs, which doesn't need a genius to think of that kind of solution. The point for selling songs with DRM was to help push the sale of iPods. If consumers download songs that are only compatible with iTunes and iPods, it's not a surprise to what kind of music player they may purchase. For years, the Apple music industry has been successful due to the synergy of the iPod and iTunes. With that link gone, Apple may soon face serious competition.

Over the past few years, companies such as Sony, Samsung, Sandisk, Microsoft, and Cowon have all made superior products that have given some of the iPods a run for their money. However, the only thing that has kept Apple as the leader in the music industry is their decent music players with a nearly unlimited supply of downloadable media. No other company has as successfully launched a supplement to their media players. The simplicity of iTunes + iPod draws millions of customers each year even if another company has designed a superior product.

Like big-time universities such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, Apple has built a solid reputation that they now rely on to sell their products. The iPods are excellent products, however they have so far only dodged the competition with integration to iTunes. With iPods no longer necessary to use the online hoard of media, other companies have a huge chance of taking away some of Apple's marketshare.

However, one shouldn't been so keen to see major changes in the near future. As iPods are still the king of MP3 players, the increased quality of iTunes music will spur more sales of audio and iPods. The only drawback to Apple is the possibility of spurring the sales of other competitors as well.