iTunes 7.2 Allows DRM Free Music!
 

iTunes just got an update, and apparently the DRM-Free music we heard about is coming later today.

"Apple released iTunes 7.2 updated in the Mac OS X Software Update tonight, which offers support for "iTunes Plus", Apple's new DRM-free $1.29 offerings announced in April.
With iTunes 7.2, preview and purchase iTunes Plus music—new higher-quality, DRM-free music downloads from participating music labels.


Despite the software update, the Apple iTunes Store itself does not show any DRM-Free music currently available for purchase. The DRM-Free launch will likely occur later this morning (Wed, May 30th).

From the iTunes Help, it appears you will be able to upgrade your existing songs to the iTunes Plus (DRM Free) version:
The iTunes Store also offers songs without DRM protection, from participating record labels. These DRM-free songs, called "iTunes Plus," have no usage restrictions and feature higher-quality encoding.

The first time you buy an iTunes Plus song, you specify whether to make all future purchases iTunes Plus versions (when available). You can change this setting by accessing your account information on the iTunes Store.

If you already have iTunes Store purchases that are now available as iTunes Plus downloads, you may upgrade your existing purchases. To do so, visit the iTunes Store and follow the onscreen instructions.

Based on the text strings in the iTunes resources, it appears that upgraded iTunes Plus music replaces the original purchases in your library. The replaced files can be moved to the Trash or to your Desktop optionally."

-Macrumors

I’m sure the record companies don’t mind too much because if someone distributes one of those DRM free songs thru file sharing, the user can easily be traced.

Here are two opposing viewpoints about this situation:

Against
http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/005288.php
In favor
http://media.seekingalpha.com/article/37105

I haven't bought a movie on itunes yet because I'm waiting for them to offer them 720 HD for the Apple TV. I check all the time and on the info of every movie under the format, it says "wide screen". When do you guys think they will be offering the movies in HD so the apple tv will be worth it?

Steve Jobs was asked at All Things Digital about if HD was coming, and he said "One never knows."

He also mentioned that the quality of iTunes is good, and that down the line HD is going to be a possibly. My guess, is that it will be announced some time in early next year, maybe at Macworld.

And isn't it interesting that Apple has been working so diligently on codec development (ProRez 422!) - technology that facilitates high quality streaming images in a much smaller datasteam.

You don't imagine that this expertise might someday form the basis of delivering superb quality High-def streaming content via the net?

Hummm....