February 14, 2007
When Apple Gets Peeled – Part 2
One of the first posts I did on Horse Power speculated on the backlash Apple would feel when consumers wised up to DRM. I faulted Apple for the FairPlay DRM system they used implying that the DRM was designed to tie iPod users to iTunes and exclude other MP3 players as well as prevent the iPod for use on other download sites. Well, this speculation has come true. Apple is getting sued harassed by many European nations to open up its closed loop system to allow others to play.
Steve Jobs responded with a post on Apple’s news section called Thoughts on Music. Mr. Jobs pushes back and lays blame for the closed DRM system on the recording industry. He claims that the tough restrictions the labels put on Apple forced them into the current system and he would love to go DRM free if only the labels would cooperate.
In my opinion, this deflection is to prevent the negative brand backlash I had predicted back in May. While I’m not convinced he is an opponent to DRM, I do think this is a convenient way to educate consumers while positioning Apple as forward thinking. It’s almost as if they created the problem so they could reap the benefits of fixing the problem. It will interesting to see how things play out from here.
Technorati Tags: RIAA, Steve Jobs, DRM, Apple, iTunes
