DRM-free EMI music hitting iTunes today?

It was promised for May, now Apple is busy rolling out iTunes updates to "preview and purchase iTunes Plus music -- new higher-quality, DRM-free music downloads from participating music labels." Hmmm, "labels" huh? That's plural which means Stevie boy might have more than EMI up his sleeve when he goes on stage for All Things D later today. Mind you, you still can't purchase any DRM-free music on iTunes but that should be corrected in time for some heavy grandstanding.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Foo @ May 30th 2007 1:40AM]

i just did an update and there's no itunes upgrade...just two security updates

[Curtis @ May 30th 2007 1:48AM]

And of course I use a Mac. I'm not sure how iTunes and QuickTime updates work on the PC. I won't be surprise if Window users have trouble since Mac OS X is Apple's operation system of choice :LOL:

[Curtis @ May 30th 2007 1:45AM]

I did the update as well and iTunes was indeed updated to 7.2. Some on other blogs have speculated that the DRM music will be on sale later in day (Wednesday). The Security Updates was for Quicktime with Java. As iTunes requires Quicktime, the release of both in the matter of hours was clearly by design.

[Brady @ May 30th 2007 1:46AM]

I try so hard not to keep up to the minute on Apple updates enabling pre announced deals...I am failing horribly...

[DDao @ May 30th 2007 1:48AM]

nevermind...updated my security and did an update check and viola 7.2

[Bryan @ May 30th 2007 2:01AM]

Apple's definitely getting ready for iTunes Plus, and tomorrow may or may not be the day. Whenever it is, its soon and if you follow the predictions of some bloggers they'll announce it in typical spectacle fashion One writer speculated the other day (http://www.metue.com/05-28-2007/drm-free-itunes-launch/) that the Beatles will play with release. In another post he's got a top ten list of songs possible with "Hello Goodbye" leading the poll. Don't know if he's right, but sounds like something appropriately Apple. That playing in the background for the iPhone would fit later this month. Whatever the reality I'm glad, sooner than later, DRM free music will be here.

[Matthew Cole @ May 30th 2007 2:11AM]

I know that jobs has an hour+ on time scheduled for the all things D conference today, hours before his time with bill gates.

[Tyler Christensen @ May 30th 2007 2:23AM]

Looks like it's out for Windows now too.

[Matthew @ May 30th 2007 3:01AM]

DRM free is not good enough.
I want interoperability.
Use of the AAC format essentially ties iTunes purchases to the iPod.
Once I can get high quality MP3 format songs from independent as well as RIAA artists in one place I will be happy.

As far as this story goes, my iTunes does indeed want to update to version 7.2 when I open it.

[Nathaniel @ May 30th 2007 3:44AM]

Jeez, not this again... AAC is actually MORE open than MP3, it's just people like you that are keeping it from going wide by clinging on to an old, lesser codec because it's "what you know".

If you want better quality at smaller filesizes, start using AAC (you'll also find there are plenty of players that support AAC). If you want to keep backpedaling and want to keep supporting a soon obsolete codec, stick with MP3.

I say Way To Go, apple. I will vote for you with my wallet, to try and do my part in showing record labels that DRM-free music actually works. Kudos!

[WiFiSpy @ May 30th 2007 12:14PM]

How many in-dash CD players support AAC burnt onto a CD?

[Nathaniel @ May 30th 2007 2:44PM]

How many people who use iTunes have cars AND still use CDs? I'll bet it's not THAT big a percentage, actually.

Look, you can use statistics all you want, but there really isn't any point in supporting MP3 anymore. Now that AAC from iTunes is free for any player to support, you'll be seeing a LOT more hardware with AAC-support as well.

[Dave @ May 30th 2007 4:15AM]

My last two cell-phones (a Samsung and a SonyEricsson) have both supported AAC, just not FairPlay. As far as I'm aware, most of the new SE phones have AAC support, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Nokia to support it too.

[Kame_boy @ May 30th 2007 6:43AM]

What's up with Vista compatibility and terribly laggy interface? Thought that would be fixed by now but apparently not.

[Curtis @ May 31st 2007 8:41PM]

Vista issues? If there is any, then two parties to blame for it: Apple and Microsoft. Apple could have unexpectedly caused some Vista compabiltity problems with iTunes 7.2, but the last few iTunes and iPod issues that Windows Vista user have had where OS problems. Microsoft is responsible for correctly their OS!

And so far, I have only seen one sone in the U.S that was DRM free.

[Chris @ May 30th 2007 12:37PM]

Wow, I suppose its rumored progress, Hopefully the riaa will start sharing more then 3% of the profits with them

[Pete @ May 30th 2007 8:23AM]

There is a free iTunes DRM free song that ends up costing $.99 once you select it and put it in your shopping cart.

Apple needs to fix this ASAP. Free means FREE

[Ethyriel @ May 30th 2007 10:11AM]

Or, you could always stop deluding yourself about the apparent freedom of AAC relative to MP3 and just use OGG and FLAC.