Universal Music plans to offer music downloads without copy protection in a five-month trial intended to measure customer demand. The tracks will initially not be available through Apple’s iTunes online music store, which at the time accounted for around 75 percent of the US digital music market.
The trial is scheduled to run from 21 August until the end of January 2008. Universal follows EMI, which began selling music without digital rights management through Apple’s iTunes service in April. Universal Music Group plans to make thousands of tracks available to retailers at a wholesale price of 70 to 75 US cents. Music including hits by 50 Cent, Gwen Stefani and the Black Eyed Peas is due to be offered through artist websites and retailers including Amazon, Google, RealNetworks, Best Buy and Wal-Mart, which are expected to use the standard retail price of 99 cents.
Universal said the test would measure customer demand and any effect on piracy rates. Continued sales through Apple’s iTunes Store will serve as a control. The company, which most recently generated around 16 percent of its revenue from digital music sales, did not renew its long-term agreement with Apple the previous month, saying that it wanted to remain flexible and open to deals with other retailers. Major record labels had previously offered almost all online tracks with digital rights management because of concerns about illegal copying.
Depending on its implementation, DRM controls whether and how often a purchased digital track can be copied or played. DRM-protected tracks are not compatible with every MP3 player. Earlier in 2007, Apple persuaded EMI to offer music without copy protection through iTunes. More than half of the tracks available on iTunes were expected to be offered in improved audio quality and without copy protection by the end of the year.
