Warner's post-Christmas announcement leaves the fourth major record company, SonyBMG, somewhat out there in the cold as the only major yet to make any of its catalogue available without outdated DRM technology.
But, as previously reported, some insiders there have been saying for weeks that a DRM-free announcement is imminent and, even though officially the major remains tight lipped on the issue, those insiders remain adamant some move towards dropping DRM will be announced shortly, certainly in the US before the Superbowl on 3 Feb when, as also previously reported, Amazon and Pepsi will launch a high profile MP3 giveaway that all of SonyBMG's competitors are expected to participate in.
Music Week too are now citing insiders as confirming an imminent announcement from SonyBMG, certainly in North America. They report that the major had been planning a more cautious move into DRM-free - initially through an MP3 gift card programme in association with various US retail partners - but that plans have been stepped up following Warner's announcement.
In a possibly not entirely unrelated story, SonyBMG's Head Of Global Digital Business, Thomas Hesse, often reported to be a strong advocate of DRM, is reportedly on his way out. According to Digital Music News, insiders there say he is currently considering a move to Nokia.