Digital Home Thoughts: Apple May Expand DRM-free Offeings

"A year after iTunes began offering music without copy protection software from EMI, Apple is in discussions with the other three top recording companies about acquiring DRM-free songs, according to two music industry sources. The talks are still preliminary and no deals have been finalized, but one source said one of the major labels is close to a final agreement. Rumors have been swirling on the Internet for a week that Sony would soon be offering music without the controversial digital rights management software. My sources could not confirm this. Spokespeople for Apple and the major labels declined to comment."

It is a beatiful thing when the consumer wins out over big business interest. Between the confusion that DRM presented for those not in the know and an outright refusal to buy by many in the know, DRM seems to be well on its way out the door. I sit proud in the thought that I never purchased any DRM laden music but have since purchased quite a bit of music since Amazon opened their DRM free MP3 store.