iPod Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem - what does this mean??

[Breegy]

http://www.appleinsider.com/article...ns_escape_from_itunes_with_open_standard.html

Afraid that Apple will gain the sort of lock on downloadable video that it did with music, Sony and a group of video business heavyweights are planning a new standard that would let copy protected movies and TV from any participating service work with many devices..

I don't really understand that they are trying to do. Obviously it appears to be against Apple and iTunes, but does this also mean that stuff that is not purchased through those sites, or stuff illegally distributed, would not be able to be put on our iPods and other electronics?

Officially, the goal is to create an interoperable but still locked down approach to distributing videos online where buyers or renters could simply assume that an online video could work. As long as a device is in the user's "domain," content would play. In a presentation on DECE obtained by AppleInsider, Sony also claims that such a system would create a much more consistent rights environment: customers wouldn't face shifting copy limits if they choose to switch stores, while many stores today are ultimately balkanized.

What do you guys think? I'm not sure I completely understand.

I personally think its all fair game. Sony has several impressive devices they are selling. Televisions, game console, laptops.. Apple isn't going to put them out of business. They may not make a good market for iPods, but people, especially me, are still loving the PS3 and Bravia TV... It's a free market, if they band together and form a monopoly against Apple that is disturbing. You either sink or swim. It's called capitalism for a reason...

 

[Tilpots]

Great idea. I'm sick of the so called "iTunes ecosystem." It prevents Apple from improving their hardware and limits content for Apple users. Maybe this will help push apple into making a decent home theater computer.

 

[Breegy]

Great idea. I'm sick of the so called "iTunes ecosystem." It prevents Apple from improving their hardware and limits content for Apple users. Maybe this will help push apple into making a decent home theater computer.

I think the intention of this DECE thing is to prevent Apple from ruling the digital media world by trying to completely eliminate them altogether... I don't see how this is a good idea at all.

 

[Tilpots]

I think the intention of this DECE thing is to prevent Apple from ruling the digital media world by trying to completely eliminate them altogether... I don't see how this is a good idea at all.

No, I don't think that's the case. They just want to open up the digital media to be able to be played on everybody's hardware, not just who you bought it from. For instance, if you buy a movie from iTunes, not only can you play it on your AppleTV, but also on your Windows Media Center, or your PS3.

The DECE coalition would include Apple as the articles graphic shows. It jsut means that the iTunes store has to compete with everyone elses digital stores. That's the free market we need for competition and lower prices/better quality.

 

[Breegy]

No, I don't think that's the case. They just want to open up the digital media to be able to be played on everybody's hardware, not just who you bought it from. For instance, if you buy a movie from iTunes, not only can you play it on your AppleTV, but also on your Windows Media Center, or your PS3.

The DECE coalition would include Apple as the articles graphic shows. It jsut means that the iTunes store has to compete with everyone elses digital stores. That's the free market we need for competition and lower prices/better quality.

So you can't buy a movie from iTunes and play it on like your PSP or something? I never knew this wasn't compatible...

Well if that is the intent, then that isn't a bad thing, but the second diagram doesn't even include Apple or Apple products at all. (Not only that, but who buys digital media from Shell? lol) Edit: Nevermind about this part. I think I see a very tiny iTunes symbol on the second model next to Zune. And I think that might be an iMac.. not sure though. The Shell thing still remains though.

If its intention causing everything to be compatable and open up the media market to other competitors, then that is fine, but if its trying to get everyone to gang up and eliminate Apple and iTunes, that is obviously bad.