Full FeediTunes becomes DRM-Free and implements tiered pricing
If you remember back to January, Apple stated that iTunes would be DRM-free and have a tiered pricing system in place within the coming months. This is now a reality.
All the music available on the iTunes Store is now in 256Kbps AAC encoding, which is of a similar sound quality to original recordings. Apple had been in the process of converting the huge library since the Macworld Expo keynote, but now the crossover has been completed.
Phil Schiller also mentioned a new pricing scheme for the store, which has also gone live today. The new structure features three tiers; $0.69, $0.99, $1.29. There’s no set pattern as to which songs will be at which tier, but I would imagine popularity will play its part. The top tracks for the charts will aim for the higher pricing, while more selective music tastes will use the lower. This isn’t a plan from Apple to gain more money from us though, as Phil Schiller also stated that more songs would be priced at $0.69 than at $1.29.
You should see these changes available as you browse the iTunes store. It’s moments like these where it pays off for having strange music tastes—hopefully I’ll find myself some deals.
You can also upgrade your entire library to DRM-free music, by upgrading to iTunes Plus from within the iTunes Store. There’s a cost involved for each track, but it’s up to you whether it’s worth it.
Subscribe to keep up with the latest Apple news and rumors! - 
Subscribe to our feed
Black Friday 2009
Black Friday is almost here! Gadgetell's got you covered with all the latest news on who's offering the best deals. Dangerous crowds? You're on your own.
Our new podcast: Meet...
We know. Podcasts are so last year - but this one you won't want to miss. Whether it’s a rumor that won’t die, a new product announcement, or just a really good Macintosh or iPhone app find that we have to let you know about, we’ll make sure it’s covered on Appletellcast.
iPhone App Reviews
iPhone Apps. They were great when the App Store was first announced and we could all pick and chose what we wanted, but the number is now overwhelming. Here at Appletell, we'll detail the great iPhone apps we find, and steer you clear from those that aren't worth it even if they're free.
iPhone Game Reviews
As Apple turns the iPhone into one of the most popular gaming devices, the staff of Appletell--gamers and Apple fans alike--are here to help you get the most entertainment value out of your app store purchases.
It seems there are a lot of albums now suddenly missing. This is no doubt down to those albums not yet securing iTunes Plus versions for some reason, and so for iTunes music to become 100% DRM free, the best thing was to remove them.
on April 8, 2009 at 02:36 PM - LINKI wonder if we’ll ever see DRM free TV shows and films.