So then, Apple has confirmed it has launched iTunes Plus, the all singing, all swinging, all super, all duper, all new DRM free music download service. It ends months of speculation... no, not really, we all knew this was coming for certain ever since EMI announced it was making its music available without DRM, initially exclusively via iTunes. Apple had said the new service would be live within May and they were right, just.
EMI are, of course, still the only major record company to have, so far, agreed to sell their music without all that digital rights management nonsense, although most indies are already selling music in non-DRM formats. As previously reported, the DRM free tracks available via iTunes Plus are also provided with enhanced sound quality, and retail slightly more expensively at 99p, compared to 79p for standard tracks.
Users have to 'opt-in' to the new service, but once they have done so all tracks in the iTunes catalogue available in the new format will only display in that format - ie, once opted in, users will have to manually switch back to the non-iTunes Plus system if they want to buy EMI music in the old format at the standard 79p per track.
Apple used the launch of the iTunes Plus service to call on the other three major record companies to follow EMI's lead and sign up to the DRM free service. Seemingly optimistic about getting other major labels on board, Apple boss Steve Jobs added: "Our customers are very excited about the freedom and amazing sound quality of iTunes Plus. We expect more than half of the songs on iTunes will be offered in iTunes Plus versions by the end of this year".
Apple has also launched a new service called iTunes U which will offer educational materials from universities - seemingly mainly American universities at launch.