Issues escaping iTunes DRM lock-in
At Macworld Apple announced that the whole iTunes shop content would be available DRM-free soon and most, 80 percent, would have no DRM copy protection immediately.
So, throughout this week I’ve been wondering whether to pay the fee to go DRM-free on the protected music tracks and albums that I own. Most of them were the result of being given iTunes store vouchers, or are free single of the week downloads. There’s perhaps two albums that I bought otherwise that I care about.
But, Apple only allows an all or nothing upgrade. It’s not possible to pick individual tracks or albums to upgrade. As each album costs 2UKP and each track 20pence to set free, this means I have to pay to upgrade music that I don’t like.
Even stranger is that while virtually all the DRM-locked music that I own is now for sale without DRM, much of it isn’t appearing in the list of what I can upgrade when I click ‘upgrade my library’ in iTunes. Yesterday, two albums and six songs were offered to me as ‘upgradeable’. Today, an additional album has been added. Of the 203 tracks that I have that are copy protected, iTunes is only offering me the upgrade on 50. None of the past free single of the weeks are included (will they ever be??!!!) and many of my albums aren’t either, including ones that I have verified are for sale DRM-free now.
Even with its last gasp, DRM is still making life painful. Its cold dead fingers are locked firmly on music I own and I’m still struggling to pry my music free.
The sooner DRM is gone and forgotten the better.
Film and TV industry? Are you listening?
