I think there's a bit of confusion here. AAC is an open format that anyone can make use of. What Apple hasn't licensed is their fairplay DRM, so other vendors can't distribute something that can play music bought from the iTunes Music Store.

or as long as you have apps to convert AAC to something else..

It seems that he already does when it comes to computer software.

Thanks man.... that makes sense

This was inevitable!

At least I was kinda close. Once again I find myself asserting that while I strive for accuracy in everything I say and do, accuracy is far too much work and vastly overrated!

The iPod is already far more popular than BetaMax. I don't think anyone at Apple is seriously worried about that.

The thing Apple might be worried about is not being able to sign key artsists. As the article stated, if Sony can keep certain artists off iTunes that might have some effect. However, as the laws of economics continue to kick in, Sony will have no choice than to sell their music though the dominate outlet for digital music, or lose sales. This goes for any artists. The artists like Radiohead who are "too cool for itunes" yet can be found at wal-mart of all places, will lose sales. Not that they probably care.

Personally I would rather buy from the artist direct. In the case of They Might be Giants, you can buy from itunes, or buy from the artists directly. They've secured rights to distribute their own music, and they do it in 256kbs MP3 (DRM free), and keep the $1 per song you pay. I much prefer this scenario. They trust their fans to buy and not mass distruibute the music.

yeah anyways

If sony only allowed it's music to be used via it's propietary hardware/software, doesn't that verge on antitrust?

No, who makes you buy their stuff ?

-t

Exactly. Microsoft's position is to force everyone to go through them if you want to buy music... from anywhere. If it's online, it'll be MSN with DRMed WMAs. If it's a CD it'd be DRMed WMA. If it's a DVD it'll be DRMed WMV. All your products will be using Microsoft something, and you'll have to go through them.

Which might not even be a problem if there were options to use something else. Unfortunately, Microsoft has a habit of securing an entire market for themselves, forcing everyone out of it, the proprietizing it so no one else can compete. And when they get in trouble, they have so much god damn money they can buy everyone off and pay whatever fees.

It's cheaper for Microsoft to break the law and monopolize markets, than it is for them to actually obey the law and allow for fair competition.