DRM Free iTunes?

AppleInsider is reporting that Apple is on the verge of going DRM-free with the iTunes music store. The DRM-free move is rumored to start tomorrow, December 9th:

A report from last week brought to AppleInsider's attention by French technology site ElectronLibre asserts that it's now "clear" Apple will spark new interest in its music store by removing DRM from tracks published by Sony, Universal and Warner on December 9th.

The site doesn't point to specific sources but is careful to note that Apple is moving cautiously on the matter following difficult negotiations that allegedly had the labels hoping to negotiate what EMI had done for the launch of iTunes Plus in 2007, when it successfully negotiated prices higher before ultimately agreeing to reduce the price to Apple's standard 99 cents. Labels had also been hoping to switch from a monthly reporting of iTunes sales stats to live data, the earlier story suggests.

Talks between Apple and the remaining three labels may have been corroborated by a previous CNet story which also mentioned ongoing discussions that would let Apple switch to music without FairPlay restrictions.

Shoppers themselves have also noticed songs briefly selling unprotected that weren't either from EMI or independents.

More recently, the same site also believes Apple will quickly follow up the move with a promo campaign nicknamed the "12 Days of iTunes" that will let shoppers in France, Germany and the UK download an "unlimited" amount of content just after Christmas.

Read the full story over at AppleInsider.

We don't know about you but if this comes to pass tomorrow it'll make us very, very happy. DRM, even Apple's Fair Play, is onerous and completely unnecessary for the vast amount of people. Success stories like Apple's iTunes Music store show that when given the opportunity, most people are very willing to buy music legally and won't share/pirate digital content as the RIAA and the music industry would have us think. Sure, there will be those that do but treating the vast majority of honest people like thieves and criminals has been a slap to our collective face and no doubt contributed to the slide in sales for the big labels.

This of course is a rumor and should be viewed as such. Luckily, unlike most Apple rumors, we won't have to wait long to find out if it's true.

$99 iPhone: They'd Sell A Bazillion

Wal Mart isn't my favorite store. In fact, if I didn't live in the sticks and had a choice I'd be doing all my shopping at Target (I know, big difference). Anywho, MacRumors is running a rumor that Wal Mart will be selling 4GB iPhones for $99 and a two year contract starting on December 28th. If true, I can hear collective sigh of surrender over at RIM. I know I'd buy one for my Wife to replace her 1st. Gen iPhone and I also know about 15 other people who'd be lined up at the Wal Mart iPhone counter on December 28th ready to dump their other phones in favor of the 3G iPhone.

It's a rumor so take it with a grain of salt.

Joseph Henry

October 14th. Notebook Event

MacRummors is reporting that Engadget and Gizmodo are posting images of an October 14th. "Notebook Event". The invitation simply states "The spotlight turns to notebooks". Is this just a refresh of existing models or might Apple unveil the long rumored "Brick" Macbooks/Macbook Pro's? We're betting on both.

Hey! Why'd they get invites and not us? Er, because they're Engadget and Gizmodo and we're AYAAW, you big dummy! Oh well, someday...

Ars Technica Is Recanting "No iTunes" Post

So there! I stuck to my guns and perhaps I'll be vindicated. To get the full details of what they are now predicting, check out the full article here.

The best news for me, however, is they are now predicting iPhone Firmware 2.1. I just spent another grueling day restoring my iPhone from the dreaded Gray Apple Screen Freeze (see our 3G Survival Guide for more info). Although my phone is now functional iTunes doesn't recognize it other than to offer restore it to factory settings or to restore from a backup. I ALREADY DID THAT! Man oh man I'm hoping version 2.1 brings an end to this very unstable and bug infested iPhone OS.

Those are strong words, I know, but I've never had to deal with anything like this from an Apple product. Sure most OS updates bring a random bug or instability but none that I can remember have ever been as bad as iPhone Firmware 2.0. The Gray Apple Screen Freezes, random reboots, corrupt backups, and the list goes on. Yes I still love my iPhone but I could certainly do without the crapware that is iPhone Firmware 2.0.

I'm keeping all of my appropriate appendages crossed for Tuesday.

Joe Henry

Ars Technica Isn't Betting On iTunes 8

Ars Technica isn't betting on iTunes 8 being introduced at Tuesday's "Let's Rock" event. David Chartier, writing for Ars Technica doesn't give any reasons for the lack of faith of version 8's intro.

The one thing we aren't betting on is seeing iTunes 8 introduced on September 9. Call it a hunch, or call it something else, but we don't plan on waking up Software Update just yet.

We're still predicting an iTunes 8 intro here at And Yet Another Apple Weblog. Not that that means anything as we have no insider info, no insiders, no anything. Call it a hunch or something else. Personally, I do plan on waking up Software Update Tuesday afternoon.

The thing is, Ars Technica has a pretty good track record for predicting what's going on and what will go on with Apple.

Here's our final prediction for Tuesday: Apple will or won't announce new products and or services and they will or will not get a bunch of free publicity and media coverage. Actually no matter what happens on Tuesday they'll get a bunch of free media coverage. That's just how it works.

Joe Henry

Apple Not Likely to Roll Out Subsciption Service

The blogosphere is abuzz trying to predict what exactly Apple is going to unveil at next Tuesdays "Let's Rock" event. One thing most places aren't predicting is a subscription service. In fact, according to CNET's Greg Sandoval

"My sources say that they don't expect Apple to announce anything to do with music content, and they are sure Apple won't be rolling out an iTunes music subscription service."

Read the full article here.

This doesn't surprise us here at AYAAW and it shouldn't surprise you either. Although Steve Jobs has gone back on things he said Apple wouldn't do in the past we just can't believe a subscription music service would be

one of them. Apple and iTunes are doing very well all by themselves selling music outright and becoming the number one retail music seller in the U.S. so there doesn't seem to be any compelling reason to roll out a subscription service. Other subscription services don't seem to be doing all that great and are dwarfed by Apple's share of the retail music business, so it just doesn't make sense.

This last spring, however, there were rumors flying around that Apple would offer iTunes Unlimited: a subscription service whereby the entire iTunes library would be available as an add-on to the purchase of an iPod or iPhone and subscribers could download and keep the music as long as they owned the device. Read more about this rumor at Ars Technica. It's an interesting idea.

Most rumor sites are predicting new iPods and iTunes 8 and we think those are the most likely to be true. New Macbooks are also rumored to be part of the event but we don't buy that. This is a music event and as such won't include any hardware refreshes other than iPods. Still, it is Apple and Steve Jobs does so like to surprise.

Joe Henry
AYAAW

New Nano and iTunes 8.0 Coming Soon

Kevin Rose of Digg is claiming to have information on significant, soon to be released Apple products including the iPod Nano and iTunes 8.0. Rose claims the Nano will undergo a fairly radical form factor change and included a larger elongated screen. See a picture of the new Nano over at MacRumors.

As for iTunes 8.0, Rose says its a major update and includes new features. Could one of those new features be the rumored iTunes Unlimited subscription service? Although he doesn't go into detail Rose says the update is worthy of a full point. Sounds good to me but I have to say I have no interest in s subscription service.

Joe Henry