BitTorrent co founder Ashwin Navin has revealed his belief that DRM is not the answer to providing legal online video download services despite the fact that BitTorrent will launch its own DRM-based download service soon. He told this belief in an interview with IDG News Service and added that the only reason DRM is so widespread currently is that the industry is immature and doesn't yet know how else to protect its profit margins.
Navin believes that DRM is bad for consumers and content providers alike because it "typically ties a user to one hardware platform". He cited Apple's iTunes service as an example. Apple's DRM FairPlay restricts the use of iTunes music to the company's iPod players.
He believes that movie and TV show providers would not like to limit users in the same way because they want their content to be used by users on as many platforms as possible.
As a solution, he recommended advertising supported video download services that would offer content either at a low cost or for free much the same as regular TV, but over the Internet. He sees that as the possible future of video downloads and said BitTorrent hopes to "drive that evolution wherever we can."
BitTorrent will launch a download service in the U.S. later this year, followed by an International version next year.
Source:
Ars Technica
He believes that movie and TV show providers would not like to limit users in the same way because they want their content to be used by users on as many platforms as possible.
As a solution, he recommended advertising supported video download services that would offer content either at a low cost or for free much the same as regular TV, but over the Internet. He sees that as the possible future of video downloads and said BitTorrent hopes to "drive that evolution wherever we can."
BitTorrent will launch a download service in the U.S. later this year, followed by an International version next year.
Source:
Ars Technica
