Apple changes song pricing and drops digital rights management

by Darren Davidson, Brand Republic 07-Jan-09, 09:10

LONDON - Apple is to change the amount it charges for songs on iTunes from April by introducing a three-tier structure offering tracks at 59p, 79p and 99p, replacing the current 79p for every song system.

The new model, dubbed "iTunes Plus", will feature songs with better audio quality.

Apple has struck an agreement with Sony BMG, Universal, and Warner Music to drop the digital rights management (DRM) protection currently attached to iTunes music.

The changes were announced at the end of the keynote address, at the Macworld conference in San Francisco.

Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller, delivered the speech, traditionally given by Steve Jobs, who has faced questions of the state of his health.

Schiller said: "Over the past six years, songs have been $0.99 [prices in the UK have varied].

"Music companies want more flexibility. Starting today, eight million songs will be DRM free and by the end of this quarter, all 10 million songs will be DRM free."

Comments

Trevor Bradford - 07/01/2009

It's about time that Apple sorted this out, the DRM issue has been a hurdle to buyers who object to being told that they can only use the track on up to five devices \(excluding an iPod). That's good for music buyers and removes that arguement from those who download from peer to peer networks and that has to be good for the music industry. To be honest, with the ever increasing sources of legitimate downs increasing by the week, Apple didn't really have a choice. In the early days of iTunes Apple had a virtual monopoly, but that is rapidly changing. More good news for music lovers.