Stores Hope to Unlock iPod System pdf article
With iPod sales predicted to total 37 million by the end of the year, expect more digital music stores and back-end services to bypass-or at least attempt to bypass-Apple Computer’s control over its user base. Currently, the only digital music that Apple permits on the iPod are unprotected MP3 files and tracks bought from the iTunes Music Store encoded with its FairPlay digital rights management technology. Since Apple steadfastly refuses to license the FairPlay technology to other digital music services, the only way to sell copyright-protected music that also works on the world’s most popular digital music player is to hack the system.
The latest effort to do so is headed by Cupertino, Califbased Navio Systems. Navio enables online music retailers to sell digital rights as a package, instead of selling actual digital files, allowing consumers to take their music to various platforms-mobile or portable players, etc. According to COO Ray Schaaf, his customers have requested the ability to sell copy-protected music that can also work on the iPod, so Navio is reverse-engineering FairPlay to do so. Clients include Fox Music, TVT Records and Sony BMG.
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