Ars reports that Universal Music is pondering a leap onto the no-DRM bandwagon:
Doug Morris, UMG’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement that the company began internally considering the DRM-free waters earlier this year, and the company is expanding its plans into a nationwide test to “provide valuable insights into the implications of selling our music in an open format.”
The test will see UMG offering a portion of its catalog—primarily its most popular content—sold without DRM between August 21 and January 31 of next year. The format will be MP3, and songs will sell for 99¢ each, with the bitrate to be determined by the stores in question. According to Universal, Amazon, RealNetworks, and retailers such as Best Buy and Wal-Mart will have first crack at selling the music. RealNetwork’s Rhapsody service will offer 256kbps tracks, the company said in a separate statement.
Universal has apparently snubbed Apple, choosing to make DRM-free music available on other music services first.
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