America's National Association Of Recording Merchandisers has issued a statement urging the entertainment software sector to adopt digital rights management compatibility so that shoppers can enjoy a "seamless experience" oblivious of what technology they own and where they buy their music.
NARM's statement, of course, echoes the sentiments of many consumer rights groups and, for that matter, many in the record labels, who are increasingly concerned that business models like those used by Apple, where consumers are locked to their platform and players through the use of an exclusive proprietary DRM system, will have a negative impact on the wider digital music space in the long term. Whether a trade association like NARM making a formal statement on the issue will have any impact on the technology firms, and especially Apple, I'm not sure - I suspect not.
Nevertheless, they spoke thus: "As long as there are incompatible DRM systems and standards, it will be difficult to satisfy consumer expectations", adding: "If DRM compatibility cannot be achieved, we urge the content and hardware communities to actively investigate innovative new alternatives to current DRM".