Apple chief pledges support for open system, calls major labels to abandon losing battle. The RIAA and Norway respond.
by Gerry Block
February 7, 2007 – In an open letter titled “Thoughts on Music” published yesterday on Apple.com (link), Steve Jobs elucidated his, and as such, Apple’s perspective on the current landscape of digital music distribution and the role of DRM (Digital Rights Management) software that restricts how and where protected music is accessible. Addressing those who have called upon Apple to open its closed iTunes Music Store—iPod ecosystem, Jobs provided a concise history of how Apple forged relationships with the four major music companies (Sony BMG, Universal, Warner, and EMI) that would allow Apple to sell music online provided the content was controlled via music studio mandated DRM.