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iTunes made to be compatible with Microsoft?

By Derek Sooman

On April 7, 2005, 11:56 AM

Could iTunes wind up being compatible with Microsoft? It's certainly possible, with US legislators currently debating whether Apple should be forced to make its product work with Microsoft technology.

A plan is being considered whereby music protected by proprietary digital rights management (DRM) technology, such as Apple's FairPlay, would be outlawed. iTunes downloads could then be played on Microsoft digital music players.

However, industry representatives are none too keen on the idea at all, and claim that interoperability will eventually be promoted without any government intervention.

"It is my belief, and the essential point of my participation today, that marketplace forces will continue to drive innovation in the DRM arena with attendant consumer benefits - new ways to enjoy digital music at a variety of different price points - while also gradually 'solving' the interoperability problem." - William Pence, Napster CTO.

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User Comments: 5

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  1. So wait,[quote]A plan is being considered whereby music protected by proprietary digital rights management (DRM) technology, such as Apple's FairPlay, would be outlawed. iTunes downloads could then be played on Microsoft digital music players.[/quote]If i were to download something off iTunes, i cant put it on my Creative Nomad II? I didnt know only iTunes music can go on apple crap because of the DRM.Is this the senario?
  2. WTH? You've got to be kidding me. Anyone who knows me on this site knows that I am one of the few open Microsoft fans out there - but this is just crazy. Let the application developers do things how they want and let consumer selectivity weed out the undesirables.
  3. Proprietary DRM?I guess that applies for Microsoft's WMA, too, in their music store and elsewhere.
  4. I guess since all of Microsofts products are so interoperable with everyone else's software that they expect everyone else to follow suit.rofl.
  5. [b]Originally posted by Mictlantecuhtli:[/b][quote]Proprietary DRM?I guess that applies for Microsoft's WMA, too, in their music store and elsewhere.[/quote]Yes, but MicroSoft licence their DRM to others whereas Apple won't.

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