Andre Yoskowitz
14 Jun 2007 19:50
The giant music label EMI has begun allowing more legal music downloading stores to use its catalogue, DRM-free.
PassAlong Networks, a company that provides the technology for online stores such as f.y.e and 7digital, a UK online music store, have secured licenses to use the catalogues and both plan to sell the tracks at a higher bitrate then iTunes currently uses.
iTunes encodes the EMI catalogue at 256 Kbps, but the new licenses can go even higher, as high as 320 Kpbs. The new services will also use MP3 instead of Apple's AAC format.
"We applaud EMI Music's bold decision to test the DRM-free waters," said PassAlong Networks' CEO Dave Jaworski. "Music consumers have demanded interoperability and ease of use and we hope that by offering EMI Music's DRM-free music files, we will simplify and improve their digital music experience."
Source:
Arstechnica