Nokia Licenses New Copy Protection Software

In 2005 at the 3GSM World Congress, Microsoft and Nokia have joined forces to ensure users of Nokia handsets and Microsoft Windows XP-based PC can enjoy music from the mobile music solution offered by Nokia. The agreement also includes a long term collaboration on digital media format support on Nokia handsets and Windows Media Player. In August last year, Nokia announced its acquisition of Loudeye, a company known for digital music platforms and digital media distribution services. Due to these news, there became rumors around the blogosphere that Nokia is planning to launch its own iTunes-like music store.

When Microsoft and Nokia announced that they will extend their collaboration to include Microsoft's PlayReady technology to Nokia's Series S60 and Series 40 mobile phones, this seems to strengthen the rumor that Nokia's own version of iTunes is already under way. Microsoft's PlayReady is a technology developed by Microsoft that makes it easy for service providers or content owners to have flexible access to digital content. Nokia and Microsoft's agreement includes increasing situations where customers can access, experience and move digital content using mobile phones in a straightforward manner. Currently, Nokia supports Windows DRM 10 and Open Alliance Mobile DRM as copy protection software.

Digital content usually have Digital Rights Management (DRM) to combat piracy, limiting a users use if his purchased content to only one device. Nokia hopes to combat this problem by supporting PlayReady. One of PlayReady's significant features is its ability to let users move copyrighted content among several devices that they have designated for playback. Nokia stated that by supporting Playready, the company will make it easier for content owners and service providers to offer premium digital content and enable more flexible business models, such as renting content or accessing it offline. According to Nokia, some uses of the support for Microsoft's PlayReady technology for consumers will be the ability to purchase content directly from the consumer's Nokia mobile phone and then transfer the content on other devices like PCs or other mobile phones.

Ilkka Raiskinen, senior vice president of Nokia's Multimedia Experiences stated in their press release that people are increasingly using their mobile phones to enjoy digital content like music, games, videos and photos so by adding support for Microsoft PlayReady technology, Nokia will enable service providers to offer a wide range of content and create truly compelling experience when using mobile devices, personal computer and online services. Nokia plans to support PlayReady in 2008 for their S60 and Series 40 mobile devices.

On the other side, Amir Majidimehr, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Consumer media technology Group said that with Microsoft's collaboration with Nokia, they will aim to deliver a compelling platform that will offer consumers flawless access to almost any time of digital content that the consumers want. "Nokia's breadth of offering in this space, coupled with core digital media technology from Microsoft in the form of PlayReady, will bring new mobile entertainment scenarios to life for millions of consumers around the world," Majidimehr said.

SOURCE:

Nokia Press Release, Nokia adds Microsoft PlayReady technology for flexible access to digital entertainment. URL: (http://www.nokia.com/A4136001?newsid=1143974)

Nokia, Microsoft teaming up. CNNMoney.com. URL: (http://money.cnn.com/2007/08/06/news/international/microsoft.reut/index.htm)