AfterDawn: News

Microsoft close to deal with EMI

Jason Reindorp, the head of marketing for Microsoft's Zune, has made comments hinting that Microsoft is on the verge of a deal to sell EMI's music catalogue without DRM through their Zune platform.

As Mr Reindorp said: “We've been saying for a while that we are aware that consumers want to have unprotected content.



“This does open things up a little bit. It potentially makes the competition more of a device-to-device or service-to-service basis, and will force the various services to really innovate.”

EMI did not confirm but a spokesman did say: “Negotiations with other platforms, such as Zune, are ongoing.”

Zune is a direct competitor of the Apple iPod and EMI's announcement earlier this week to sell DRM free music on iTunes has surely prompted Microsoft to hastily try to emulate.

Source:
Timesonline

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 8 Apr 2007 0:31

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• 3 comments

• plazma247

  What microsoft should do is to either write it something like:
  
  http://www.mgtek.com/dopisp/
  (syncs ipods with media player instead)
  
  to media player or make one cough freely avaible for download from someplace other than themselfs and try to get those itunes users to switch.
  
  Eap im still rubbing my eyes that M$ are doing something the doesnt contain DRM.
  
  Tho im sure that is all really ploy to get in the door at emi so they can really sell them a new DRM system :-p

  8.4.2007 14:21 #1

• mspurloc

  Yes, have their beancounters finally figured out that they're "losing" money from not selling music because it's crapped up with DRM, rather than "losing" money due to piracy? COuld it be they get it at last?

  8.4.2007 20:38 #2

• plazma247

  hehe actually this isnt the first time microsoft has back down on DRM
  
  if you remember way back they were trying to impliment DRM for wmv, however after getting to the 4 - 5th incranation of it they gave up as people were cracking the hell out of it.
  
  http://www.dvd-tool.com/remove-drm/wmv.html
  
  I remember all the HD showcase wmv videos on their site all of a sudden got replaced with versions without DRM once the last incarnation got cracked.

  9.4.2007 03:58 #3