Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

lida diyet zayıflama — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:38:04 -0000

*isohunt

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

lida diyet zayıflama — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:37:47 -0000

*isohunt

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Damon Allen Davison — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:00:26 -0000

Apart from being DRM-free, the new format is also encoded at a higher bitrate, so the thirty cents should also be improving the sound quality, which I think was rubbish and still is. None of the major retailers are offering lossless compression on their downloads, but some innovators like Boomkat are indeed offering downloads in FLAC format. I'd like to see Apple offer FLACs or at least their somewhat redundant Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC). Amazon definitely should be selling FLACs in addition to MP3s.

I should point out that smaller labels are forced to play the game when a retailer is as big as iTunes, although DRM in the iTunes store was probably the wish of the major labels at the beginning. None of the labels I work with were ever asked their opinion and are certainly not out to stick it to customer by double charging them for the same release in a different format.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

daisy — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:19:19 -0000

Sounds good.However,I'm wondering how many songs will be priced $1.29 and the amount of music priced $0.69.

Also,I do hope Apple gives more options on upgrading my original purchases. I have 800 pieces of music in my itunes library,and I'm counting the money that will cost if I update all of them!
$0.3*800=$240...

luckily,a media converter is much economical.So,I still use software to help me:
http://www.flash-on-tv.com/...

I'll just wait for Apple to carry out more actions.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

daisy — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:18:07 -0000

Sounds good.However,I'm wondering how many songs will be priced $1.29 and the amount of music priced $0.69.

luckily,a media converter is much economical.So,I still use software to help me:
http://www.flash-on-tv.com/...

I'll just wait for Apple to carry out more actions.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

ivy109 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:40:29 -0000

It cost me too much to update my itunes library.So I still use software to
help me.

http://www.flash-on-tv.com/...

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

donna — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:41:35 -0000

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Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

AdamC — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 09:02:11 -0000

You sure it's not the Labels' way of making more money.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Dave — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:57:02 -0000

These new DRM policies are ridiculous. Charging us for what should be standard.

http://blog.musicdetour.com...

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Doug Petrosky — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:53:07 -0000

@Buster B:
Then don't upgrade your library and you got what you paid for. As for having what you paid for enhanced to what others who purchase it today could get, that's a flawed argument because those people didn't get the use of that music for the past few months/years as you have.

It was your choice to purchase when you purchased. Should Apple rebate me $5 when a $9.99 movie gets discounted to $4.99?

Now Apple is going to charge up to $1.29 for new releases and at a later date those new releases will drop down to $.99 or even $.69. Is that fair to those people who purchased the tracks for $1.29?

Worse yet! If you purchased any new releases over the past few years should Apple bill you for the extra .30 because now that is what they are worth?

You paid what you felt was a fair price for music. You are being given a way to purchase music with additional rights and enhanced quality for $.30. If it is worth it, pay it! If it is not, enjoy the music you have! OH! and good news! future purchases will be higher quality and have fewer restrictions.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Buster B — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:23:54 -0000

@pixelbud : I do not want my library "upgraded". I want the DRM gone, and forcing me to pay $1.29 for a song that I would pay $0.69 for normally is unfair in anyone's book. What doesn't change no matter what is Apple's specious argument that I am receiving value, for in reality I am the one giving up the value. I place no value on a 256-bit encoded song higher than a 128-bit encoded song.

All I want is the exact same value that people can receive today, which is at $0.69 or $0.99 I have a DRM-free song. Paying for the privilege of having a DRM-free track is the embodiment of the argument Apple itself was using to gain leverage with the music industry lo these many years - if you go above X price point, people will turn to piracy. Well, I never did and now I feel like the world's biggest patsy for being honest all these years.

I don't want anything special, I just want what the next guy in line is going to get, which is a $0.99 DRM-free song. And since I have already paid the $0.99, I just want the DRM gone. Is that such a tough concept to grasp?

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Jeremy — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:15:51 -0000

Was the DRM really that restrictive? Was being able to play a song ONLY on five computers really so bad? Who was burning more than seven CDs off a single playlist? And if you are trying to use an MP3 player other than an iPod/iPhone, why are you using iTunes anyway?

There was actually a funny "news" article on this topic... "People with six or more computers rejoice over iTunes DRM changes" :)

http://www.maccomedy.com/pe...

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Doug Petrosky — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:49:01 -0000

Come on people! Who really cares? You bought what you bought. If you are happy with it, keep it!

If you want the benefits of the "plus" tracks it will cost you about $0.30 each, if you don't it costs you nothing.

Nobody forced you to buy initially! And nobody will force you to purchase the plus tracks.

There is a cost associated with upgrading the music and a value to many people so why wouldn't it cost money!!!

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Jeff — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:47:44 -0000

It would be a lot easier to read this page if that darn tummy stickout/suckin ad stopped coming up!

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Mike — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:47:31 -0000

drm was forced on apple by record companies, and it was something apple was willing to accept in order to establish the itunes store as a "best in class" type services and as a bonus, leverage it w/ the ipod.

the upgrade is likely an all or nothing situation in order to get rid of the drm forever and not have to support or deal with it anymore. remember that apple likes to kill old tech by forcing users to upgrade. i don't see why this is any different.

as for the fee... that's kind of lame. i understand paying for the better file and that is fine to have an upgrade option. i already own copies of the songs, however, and have fair use rights to them. why not enable me to remove the drm at the lower quality for free (w/o having burning a disc and ripping the tracks). this could have been a simple app that would run on the local machine, authenticate the user with the itunes store, and then process all the drm files.

-mike

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Gary Bacon — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:43:26 -0000

@Buster: I hope 100% of human beings on Earth had a choice when clicking " Buy Song " in the iTunes Music Store. They had a choice. They could either buy a DRM-track or buy a CD. They chose a DRM-track. I am not talking about bit-rate. You are paying for an upgrade to your library for DRM-free music per track and they are throwing in a bitrate change to a higher quality. You are paying to CHOOSE to upgrade your library. If you are happy with it, then keep it in its DRM format. I don't share my music. If you aren't happy with DRM then why did you CHOOSE to BUY it period? You did order it. You clicked, " Buy Song. "

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Buster B — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:34:10 -0000

@ pixelbud : That is a flawed analogy, at best. Purchasing cassettes instead of CDs is a freely made, voluntary choice. The choice in the iTunes situation is quite involuntary. The reality is 95% of the human beings on Earth cannot hear the difference in quality between 256 and 128 encoding. Myself, since I can't hear the difference I don't want the larger file sizes. To pay to remove something I didn't order which doesn't affect the usability of the music is preposterous.

And please don't start with "I can hear the difference", because for the vast majority of the public it just isn't true. In a double-blind, scientific manner we would probably prove no matter how much you think you can, you can't.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Somedude — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:22:02 -0000

Anyone who ever actually paid for DRM-ed non-MP3 music is an idiot, and this just proves that point in spades.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Gary Bacon — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:18:44 -0000

Try blaming THE RECORDING INDUSTRY instead of Apple. They are the people that pressured for 6 years to get pricing to change. They are the people that INSISTED on DRM. And THEY are the people that want to make money each and every time their songs are sold even if the format changes. DRM track vs. Non-DRM track is like saying why can't I get that CD free since I own the Cassette Tape. Geez.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

flo — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:17:17 -0000

@Boylin in what dreamland are you living? maybe if you transfer the song to mars
and back ... no way 30 cents are actual costs. That does not mean I think apple
is wrong from a business perspective, like I said before, but still ppl feel the
need to explain apple's actions or try to "educate" me on their economic views, which is kinda ridiculous.
@mjtomlin And the same ppl that don't need drm-free music according to you can hear the difference
between 128 kbps and 256? right. Also you're just implying stuff that suits your
view, no one said they "thought at some point in time that they (the music files) would magically be stripped of that DRM for free"

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Boylin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:55:45 -0000

I would guess that a single download from iTunes costs Apple roughly 30 cents. Converting a song involves a new
download, therefore the charge. I will bet you're getting the higher quality file as well. With the large number of songs
already in customer's hands it would be incredible for Apple to tie up their servers downloading millions of songs free.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Screen Sleuth — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:18:40 -0000

Ridiculous...but of course, many will pay. Thankfully, I didn't really bother
with iTunes.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

mjtomlin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:01:06 -0000

Wait! What? You bought DRM'ed music and thought at some point in time that they would magically be stripped of that DRM for free? Welcome to the world of the RIAA. Were you ever offered an upgrade path to move from cassette to CD? So it would be better for Apple to not offer this upgrade path at all? Leaving you with the alternative of either stealing it off a bit torrent site, or repurchasing the song DRM-free from Amazon at full price? Ask all those people who were given the shaft buy the various other online music sites that went down and took their DRM'ed music with them; don't you think they would've loved a way to upgrade all that music for a fraction of the cost rather than not being able to play it at all? The .30 isn't just for removing the DRM from the music, it's also for providing you with a higher quality encoded file. Most people who already purchase music off iTunes don't need to have DRM-free versions, because more than likely they stay within the iPod+iTunes ecosystem. The upgrade path provided is basically a way for people to take their music with them to non-FairPlay device, if they choose to do so.

Am I gonna upgrade my library? Hell no! I don't see any reason to fork over that money. At least not yet.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

flo — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:59:18 -0000

@SCHEFF you say they're mp3s, but they're not. If they were they could be played
by almost anything, but itunes protected files can't. So basically you wouldn't
need the drm removed for sharing the files (especially cause your account info-
rmation remains in the file even w/o drm) but to play them with anything other
than an ipod/iphone or itunes or apple tv. That's reason enough imho.

Re: Wait, What? Apple is Charging for DRM Removal

Ryan — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:49:13 -0000

wrote a list of alternatives

http://modemlooper.com/itun...