Quote:
Originally Posted by kamm
... 2. AFAIK Apple didn't want &^%$ DRM-free 0- it was forced by AoMP3/Alltunes/etc and various bigger ones (Amazon, emusic etc).  |
You should lighten up on Apple a bit in this case. Jobs has been long rumored to be in opposition of DRM. See this statement by EMI's CEO, Eric Nicoli during the
Apple/EMI press-conference:
"...
Q: It’s a pretty radical step, Eric. How did you reach the decision to do it? Was it Steve Jobs’ letter that convinced you? Was it the internal surveys you’ve done? What was the moment in which you said, “Damn it, we’re gonna go DRM-free?” And will the extra sales be enough to compensate for the declining physical sales?
A:
We’ve always known Steve’s view on the subject, long before his open letter...."
The iPod's market share did not depend all that much on FairPlay, but on good design, great UI, and great overall integration. It was a much better, cooler product for most, than any of the competition.
Everyone knows how to remove FairPlay in two clicks, and Amazon and others were/are often a little cheaper, than iTunes. But the overall user-experience of the Apple products, is what made iTunes/iPod/iPhone successful.