Microsoft to follow Apple's lead on DRM-free music

Stephen Withers
Saturday, 07 April 2007 14:56

Your IT - Home IT

Following last week's announcement from EMI and Apple that the iTunes Store would begin selling DRM-free music, Microsoft seems set to follow suit with unprotected EMI tracks for Zune.
While no announcement has been made concerning the Zune Marketplace, EMI's statement early this week made it clear that it would offer DRM-free tracks in various formats to other online services. EMI tracks with DRM are already available from the Zune Marketplace.

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, while an EMI spokesperson said "Negotiations with other platforms, such as Zune, are continuing."

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.