Microsoft's Zune to join swing to DRM-free music

Stephen Withers
Saturday, 07 April 2007 11:03

Your IT - Home IT

Microsoft seems set to follow the lead of Apple's iTunes Store and begin selling DRM-free music for the Zune.

While no announcement has been made regarding Zune, EMI's announcement early this week made it clear that it would be offer DRM-free tracks in various formats to other online services.

According to a story in The Times, Microsoft's head of marketing for Zune, Jason Reindorp hinted that a deal with EMI could be close.

The story quotes an EMI spokesperson as saying "Negotiations with other platforms, such as Zune, are continuing."

EMI tracks with DRM are already available from the Zune Marketplace.

Late last year, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates told TechCrunch blogger Michael Arrington that there are "huge problems" with DRM and it "causes too much pain for legitimate buyers."

Although Zune has managed to establish a niche for itself, its market share is way behind that of the iPod. Depending on whose figures you believe, the iPod has around 70 percent of the market compared with 3-10 percent for the Zune.