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DRM and iPod Capacity

Cupertino, CA - May 30, 2007, Apple Inc release an iTunes update, the update release is the 7.2 featuring DRM free music from participating labels, higher bit rates in a new added element called iTunes Plus. The industry immediately started talking about it, pointing out that even though is DRM “Free”, iTunes hides information about the purchaser inside each download. I have to say that is not a surprise to me this practice after all if you are the buyer why shouldn’t you have information about you on your songs.

The truth is that I have mix feelings about information available on my songs, what if someone gets a hold to my iPod, can anyone figure account information with this feature. I took a look at the file and I’m no expert therefore I couldn’t figure anything out on my own. What I did notice was the file size, DRM songs are almost twice the size. You can choose to buy DRM free songs are 256 Kbps or DRM music at 128 Kbps, the DRM is not taking up space on the DRM free version but the bit rate is.

I compare two songs, Ooh La by The Kooks (this week free download) and I Hate Myself for Losing You by Kelly Clarkson. Ooh La is 3:28 minutes long and the Kelly one is 3:20. Ooh La file size is 6.6MB and Kelly’s 3.3MB, so what does this tells us about iPod capacity. If you had the chance to store 7,500 songs on a 30GB iPod, and for this example we are saying you got them all on iTunes, now you can only store 3,750 DRM free songs.

Apple does explain that capacity may vary depending on the content, which makes the advertising call acceptable, but for how long. If Apple is expecting more big labels to transitions to DRM free music at the end of the year then it wouldn’t be fear to keep claiming they can hold 7,500 songs on a 30GB iPod. This month a group of people initiated a class action suit against Apple for not disclosing proper information on the colors the portable systems can actually display, arguing that Apple portables can’t display millions of color but only thousands. Could Apple be in trouble with the iPod capacity too?

We are all expecting new iPods, we don’t know how they would look or what capacity they will have but is a sad feeling to see the next generation of iPods with double the size yet the same capacity. Get it? Whatever they do I’m sure some people will be happy and some will complain, size is an issue that could generate bad publicity, hopefully they’ll fix that soon rather than later. What do you think? Is Apple doing right changing the bit rates? Personally I don’t hear the difference, maybe you do. Leave a comment on this post or express yourself on the forums. Thanks.