[rglullis]

> locked in with hundreds of $ in iTunes purchases

Wasn't one of the big selling points that songs bought on iTunes were DRM-free?

(Sorry, I went to search and you are right: Apple went DRM-free only on 2009)

[qingcharles]

No. I was involved a lot in these early rights meetings and the labels were adamant that the tracks had to have DRM. All the early demos that got the labels on board had DRM, but all the consumers hated it, everyone at the labels actually hated it too, but I suspect their legal teams were forcing the issue. It took a big personality like Jobs, with a market-leading product to finally kill it.

p.s. haven't Apple been sneaking DRM back onto their music lately? I know all the videos are DRM, right?