Nokia Ovi Music store slowly shedding its DRM shackles globally

While not widely touted, Nokia's Ovi Music store is on track to make Nokia's music catalog DRM-free globally. This was first mentioned in December at Nokia's Capital Market Days event. Keep in mind that we're talking about Nokia's a la carte music download service, not its all you can eat Comes with Music offering that lets you keep all the tracks you can download in the first year but locks them to a single Nokia handset and PC for life. Russia's Ovi Music store was the first to go DRM-free back in November while adding single sign-on with other Ovi services during the revamp process. Now we're hearing that India has quietly joined suit with its Nokia Music store becoming the DRM-free Ovi Music incarnation. Nokia is apparently focusing on growth markets first on its way to more western markets but it's a good sign that its fair use debilitating DRM is on the way out -- a good thing for consumers and a change, like free Ovi Maps, that makes Nokia handsets just a bit more attractive.

[4nth0ny Posted Mar 2nd 2010 2:07AM]

I wonder how this will fair against a certain major music distributer

[ChazClout Posted Mar 2nd 2010 2:12AM]

Less DRM is always a good thing.

[uhsf Posted Mar 2nd 2010 9:19PM]

ChazClout avatar + ChazClout sentence = contradiction irony hypocrisy

[MarkAnderson Posted Mar 2nd 2010 2:18AM]

Interesting, especially the focus on emerging markets. Probably sensible considering iTunes has the US and Western Europe pretty much sewn up.

However, times change...

[jussipussi Posted Mar 2nd 2010 2:22AM]

I'm enjoying Spotify on my Android mobile and couldn't be happier. I tried Nokia's music service last year, but as a paying customer I got tired with the constant "file not found error" error messages the client application was displaying and general unavailability of the service. Not to mention they just completely stopped responding to my mails when I contacted their support and tried to ask why is the service so unreliable even though I am paying for it.

[NewL Posted Mar 2nd 2010 5:37AM]

@jussipussi - how can you compair a music download service to a streaming service like Spotify? It's not like they have anything in common really.

[Mr w00t Posted Mar 2nd 2010 6:06AM]

Free mapping and free music == just a bit more attractive?

If it just had an Apple logo so I could show off how cool I am :D

[Nokia N900 Posted Mar 2nd 2010 6:52AM]

@Mr w00t

Well, you see,
Google's "US only" free Turn by Turn navigation is a Game Changer !

But Nokia's Free Turn by Turn navigation for 74 countries in 46 languages, and traffic information for over 10 countries, as well as detailed maps for over 180 countries, is just a bit more attractive.

[savagemike Posted Mar 2nd 2010 9:26AM]

What one of these music stores needs to innovate is streaming content and then providing stream-space to 'djs' in large markets in each state.
In effect, reinvent the local dj and the ability for local talent to get noticed and get 'on the air' without having any tie to major record labels yet.
The only difference being that the streams are available everywhere.
So, if you wanted to you could listen to the local LA stream in Kansas.
They should have full live djs though. Have info on local goings on, etc. Live interviews with popular local bands.
Hell, they could even sell ads.

[savagemike Posted Mar 2nd 2010 9:31AM]

@savagemike

Forgot.. the tie-in being that any band that wants 'air time' agrees to sell their tracks for download for X amount of time at the going download rates and taking Y percentage of that sale.
In effect, that music store/streaming service becoming a sort of defacto publishing/sales label and local dj all in one.
Would be nice for people to have some actual choice in music again, other than what the big labels are pushing into top40 radio space.