End of DRM?

Well maybe not but are we seeing the first cracks in the facade. I'm not sure how much sincerity Mr Jobs is showing. After all it's not exactly harming the iPod when you can't transfer iTunes purchased songs onto a rival platform. Having said that he makes a valid point about the number on non-DRM'ed tracks on your average iPod. But as has also been pointed out iTunes cripples some songs available DRM-free elsewhere. Still I think it's a welcome addition to the debate and hopefully something that will catch the attention of the Big Four labels. I await their response with interest.

While this is going on the BBC Trust is conducting it's consultation into it's on-demand TV proposals. Their current thinking seems to be embracing DRM (on Windows only no less) to prevent people keeping a show for more than a few days. As I have pointed out in my contribution it seems silly to add a restriction that people who just set their videos or PVR's won't have. I wonder if the BBC would prosecute people for downloading DRM-free shows from UK-Nova because they can't from the BBC? That answer should inform their approach to their on-demand services.