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iTunes to gain secure WMA support?


blech:

iTunes to gain secure WMA support?


posted on 2005/09/19 21:40

 

Slashdot today covered some US band posted some tips to a forum on working around Sony's CD copy protection.


 

It's one of these discs that has an autorun program that prevents you from ripping the CD, but instead allows you to copy secure (DRMed) Windows Media Audio files to your desktop.


 

Of course, this leaves Windows iTunes user up the creek with no paddle; they can't rip it, and iTunes won't play secure WMA files.


 

However, there's an intruiging comment in the second paragraph of the forum post:


 

We are told that itunes is coming out with a new version for PC users in early November that will be compatible with all of these new CD's

 

Ignoring the capitalisation and apostrophe abuse, this suggests one of two things: iTunes will be able to rip such CDs (unlikely) or it'll gain secure WMA support.


 

Now, given iTunes already offers to convert WMAs to MP3s when it scans your hard disk for music at first run, perhaps the latter option isn't too surprising.


 

After all, there must be APIs for this sort of thing (just like Apple have QuickTime APIs for playing protected (and of course unprotected) AAC files).


 

It leaves Mac users out in the cold, but then Mac users don't have to worry about the autorun hoops in the first place.


 

Of course, this could all turn out to be fevered conjecture, based as it is on one throwaway line on a web forum. Still.


 

with a nod to rjp for prodding me with thoughts.



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