iTunes Store DRM Free. Variable Pricing Goes Live.

[Cody Overcash]

As of yesterday all the tracks on iTunes are DRM Free. Yes all! Also all songs on the iTunes Store are now at 256kbps AAC encoding, which according to Apple is indistinguishable from the original recordings.

With the death of iTunes store DRM comes variable pricing. There are three options for someone (record labels?) to set the songs at for purchase. $1.29, $0.99, and $.69. There doesn't seem to be many that have changed from the $0.99 price point yet although there are a few at $1.29. There is also at least one or two $0.69 tracks.

[haibane]

Also all songs on the iTunes Store are now at 256kbps AAC encoding, which according to Apple is indistinguishable from the original recordings.

Can't they get over themselves and their apparent indiscernible ears? I've don a double blind test and got 7/10 which format is which. That was on 320kbps. 256kbps is a joke.

[sziklassy]

First!!!!!!!!!!
I don't get it
What is a DRM?

Digital Rights Management. It basically is an anti-piracy step. In iTune's case, you can;t really transfer their media to non-Apple products and even then you were limited to how many of those products. Removing DRM makes it so you can put it anywhere, anytime, as many copies as you want... like ripping a song from a CD for example.

And please, don't be an immature kid. Stop with the "first" nonsense. Whoever started that trend was a tool. Don't be the same...

Can't they get over themselves and their apparent indiscernible ears? I've don a double blind test and got 7/10 which format is which. That was on 320kbps. 256kbps is a joke.

I do think the average person can't tell the difference. Depends on the tracks though. And of course the hardware you are playing it on.

[cellmate75]

Oh
AWESOME!!!
Lol
So it means I can use a sony MP3 player and use it with itunes?
And I say first because it isn't everyday that I get the first comment on a website like this
>/

[zalos66]

seems like they are finaly being smart since itunes store is nicely laid out. so making it so non apple products can be used with it as well seems to be a smart marketing skill as well. but im to busy with my iphone to worry about other mp3 players haha

[big "dd"]

Does this mean all my existing music is DRM free? or just future stuff

[haibane]

Digital Rights Management. It basically is an anti-piracy step. In iTune's case, you can;t really transfer their media to non-Apple products and even then you were limited to how many of those products. Removing DRM makes it so you can put it anywhere, anytime, as many copies as you want... like ripping a song from a CD for example.

And please, don't be an immature kid. Stop with the "first" nonsense. Whoever started that trend was a tool. Don't be the same...



I do think the average person can't tell the difference. Depends on the tracks though. And of course the hardware you are playing it on.

I think if they bothered to pay attention you could tell the difference between 256 and 320, but most people just turn on the music and ignore it.

[Ozzyman500]

Does this mean all my existing music is DRM free? or just future stuff

No, you have to pay to upgrade it if you bought it from iTunes.

I'm really glad to see this change and welcome it very much!

[enjoimike69]

how to you get the song DRM free. do you have to click somethign special?

[Ozzyman500]

I don't know if it's still there but there was an update all songs link on their front page. I don't know I don't download AAC files. I'd rather buy CD's or download MP3's.

[imode]

Oh
AWESOME!!!
Lol
So it means I can use a sony MP3 player and use it with itunes?
And I say first because it isn't everyday that I get the first comment on a website like this
>/

"1st" or "I'm first" posts get deleted... It doesn't add to the conversation and opens yourself up for ridicule.

[danowar]

This apparently would mean that now you can make ringtones from your itunes music without paying the extra $.99, is it was the DRM that prevented you from doing it before.

Am I correct in this logic?

[StealthBravo]

i dont think so

[AKCHRIS]

Well It's about FRAKKIN time...But still..All us People who bought Music in the Past...I guess we'll have too live with it..

[royalnewjersey]

Sure you can use it on any brand player you want... as long as it can play AAC. I don't see the point if they still format it in AAC. Maybe if it was AIF, or WAV, or even (god forbid) MP3.

As to all of the people talking about quality, I'm glad that Apple moved up to 256kbs, but I wish they could go smaller with lossless formats. I can definately tell between MP3 and "CD Rips", but Lossless audio files are so big. There needs to be a happy medium.

[gastonm]

Great News! Glad to hear the quality is improved as well. Nice to hear Jazz music clearly!

[leram84]

wait... so 256 is higher than before right? I remember when they first annonced this, i didn't want to use there "we will un DRM ur already purchased music for like 30 cents a song" program. Not because of the money (tho i do think that is absurd even with the increase in quality), but because i actually didn't want the quality increase... i remember reading that it would make the music files like 30% largere or something like that... I personally have no problem with the sound quality they were using before, and if upgrading meant that my 8 gigs of music would become like 10 or 11 gigs, that was the only thing that realy stopped me. Does anyone know if this is all accurate, and if there is a better way to convert my music to non-drm without increasing the size (and yes i know i could do the rip it to cd and then back thing, but that is just rediculously time consuming)