“Officially, [Microsoft] says the new [Xbox 360] console can stream music from just about any MP3 player. But during a preview of the next-generation console in San Francisco last month, Microsoft execs talked up the interoperability between iPods and the Xbox 360,” Daniel Terdiman reports for CNET News. “‘When you plug your iPod in,’ Xbox digital-entertainment executive producer Jeff Henshaw told CNET News.com, ‘the Xbox 360 automatically detects that it’s there. You can browse by artist or album or genre or by custom playlist.'”
Terdiman reports, “However, because of the iPod’s digital-rights-management software, the Xbox 360 cannot stream songs purchased from Apple’s iTunes Music Store, Henshaw said. There’s a reason for that: Microsoft built its iPod connection without the support of the folks at Apple… Henshaw said the Xbox 360 would be able to stream any standard MP3 file or AAC file from an iPod, but not protected songs purchased through the iTunes Music Store. Those songs, he said, will appear grayed out in menus on the Xbox.”
Terdiman reports, “Richard Doherty, president of analyst firm Envisioneering, went so far as to predict that Apple will fight back once the new Xbox launches. ‘We expect Apple will have some retaliation ready within days or hours of the Xbox 360 shipping,’ Doherty said, referring to potential new iPod firmware or a new version of iTunes that could disable interoperability.”
Full article here.
Advertisement: The New iPod with Video. The ultimate music + video experience on the go. From $299. Free shipping.
Boy, if Sony was smart, they’d figure out a way team with Apple to make PlayStation 3 completely compatible and interoperable with iTunes Music Store and iPod.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Mac users should not buy Microsoft software (or hardware) – May 16, 2003
Microsoft with Xbox 360 is in direct competition with its customers that make and sell Computers.
Dell is pissed.
What CONSUMEr is getting screwed? Why doesn’t the Xbox 360 play Apple DRM files? Why doesn’t M$ license out all their technology? Hmnn… could it be that broadening the range of devices which can play DRM songs through their OWN hardware layer would violate the scope of the installable base for songs as agreed to by the music industry and apple? You have ‘unlimited portable players’ sure..your ipod is one. You have to Authorize a CPU if it can do other things (like burn the song etc). You have a limit to the number of CPUs you can authorize (fair ENOUGH). The xbox = another computer. Connect your ipod to a different mac of pc and you see the issue right away. Then there’s the DMCA…let’s think. You cannot copy songs from your ipod to your computer w/o circumventing content protection (sure, it’s just the way the files are stuck on the ipod and anyone can do it from the terminal, but….it’s not about reverse engineering for compatibility since you’re working without the originators consent you’re pushing the envelope. If they want compatibility then work w/ Apple. If they aren’t allowed to then don’t break a bunch of laws for some ‘plays-for-sure’ rchrapsody add.
What consumer is getting screwed? I’m not buying a 360. I like the fact that all my ps games are backwards compatible (thank you very much). Oh no…no halo for ps3 (wah better waste the money on a console for one game).
The PS3 may be overdesigned so it costs a bit more, but it won’t be replaced w/ the xbox 480 in a year and a 1/2. So who is getting screwed? Only people who chose to buy an xbox 360, not ‘The Consumer’ since the relevant CONSUMER is the person purchasing songs on ITMS and they are getting EXACTLY what they pay for. (READ no coitus there).
Yeah, like DVDJon won’t have a patch available within a week. Microsoft and Apple will both get a sale here, and consumers will be able to play all their music.
Everyone’s a winner. At least until the PS3 comes out.
Apple should help any company that wants to plug an iPod into a product. The xBox in no way encroaches on Apple territory, unless the xBox is a backdoor way to recreate the home computer in a new image. That sounds too Apple. Apple shouldn’t worry about the xBox.
But why would you plug an iPod to an XBox anyway? It’s too fugly.
Don’t make me laugh. Doesn’t even come with a next gen DVD drive. PS3 does!
“Apple should help any company that wants to plug an iPod into a product”
Sure, but that company needs to come up to the front door, ring the bell and be introduced. Not just sneak in the back door and help themselves.
If Microsoft did this properly, Apple would probably be very welcoming. While Microsoft pandering to iPod is impressive, the prospect of them actually licensing AAC and Fairplay would be huge, and I’m sure Apple would be happy to come to some sort of arrangement-in-kind (guaranteed continuing support for Mac Office, or Quicktime and/or iTunes included with Windows?) in lieu of licensing fees. But if Microsoft insists on playing outside the lines, then Apple are justified in slapping them down any way they choose…
I like my video game machines to play video games, not have extra features I don’t need. That’s why I buy Nintendo systems. They concentrate on games. XBox and PS have become idiot boxes for teenagers.
Apple is showing the traits of a much more devilish monopoly than Microsot is.
“Wait a minute! We don’t want our customers to get even more use out of their products they buy from us. We don’t want you to have it, so we’ll break it just enough so you can’t”
A big F-that to Apple if they take that action. And a BIG F-that to MDN for their smile-and-bend-over attitude about anything that relates to Apple.
***
***
*** MDN loves any shafting Apple dishes out.
***
***
Apple is showing the traits of a much more devilish monopoly than Microsot is.
“Wait a minute! We don’t want our customers to get even more use out of their products they buy from us. We don’t want you to have it, so we’ll break it just enough so you can’t”
A big F-that to Apple if they take that action. And a BIG F-that to MDN for their smile-and-bend-over attitude about anything that relates to Apple.
***
***
*** MDN loves any shafting Apple dishes out.
***
***
Apple is showing the traits of a much more devilish monopoly than Microsot is.
“Wait a minute! We don’t want our customers to get even more use out of their products they buy from us. We don’t want you to have it, so we’ll break it just enough so you can’t”
A big F-that to Apple if they take that action. And a BIG F-that to MDN for their smile-and-bend-over attitude about anything that relates to Apple.
***
***
*** MDN loves any shafting Apple dishes out.
***
***
Gee MDN last week you were slanging off against Sony in the form of Sony-BMG and their lack of support in some countries for the ITMS. Now your editorial line is:
“Boy, if Sony was smart, they’d figure out a way (to) team with Apple to make PlayStation 3 completely compatible and interoperable with iTunes Music Store and iPod.”
MDN”s editorialising has more twists than a snake in heat. Does it really matter if it is Sony or Microsoft? Either Apple changes it’s policy or it doesn’t.
Frankly, if Apple wants to continue it’s move to try and be a big player in the new digital home, they’d be mad to sell out to either party…at this stage. Future strategic partnerships may be in order but I think we have to see where the Apple/Intel move goes and how successful it actually is. Likewise there is the issue of video downloads and the continuing success of the ipod and the ITMS. Apple’s staying put on this issue and I for one support their stance…at this stage.
“In business never say never.
> cider wrote: it’s an unprofessional hack by MS
Nah… if you understood any of this, you’d see that MS is giving xBox users (who may happen to own iPods) better usability. The products can interoperate, but Apple may further try to limit use of your purchased iPod by hiding behind the DMCA (as it does with Fairplay).
Think before you post. Thanks.
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> Malthus wrote: If Microsoft did this properly, Apple would probably be very welcoming….the prospect of them actually licensing AAC and Fairplay would be huge, and I’m sure Apple would be happy…
You’re sure of this?! Point to even a single source that makes this notion even remotely plausible!
Apple wants a complete lock-down on the iPod. They DO NOT want to license out their DRM. Furthermore, AAC is not licensed by Apple as you claim.
In fact, their Fairply DRM of AAC files has more to do with ensuring future sales of Apple products by locking the usability of its sold products (iPod/iTMS songs). You own the iPod, you bought the songs, you should be able to decide how to use it as you see fit.
In Apple’s case, the manage Fairplay to be the opposite Fair Use as much as possible.
Perhaps you should read up a bit more on the subject before blindly sharing your opinion.
—
My take:
Buy from any source.
Hack out the DRM.
Use it on any machine you see fit – whether it be an iPod or an xBox 360.
> cider wrote: it’s an unprofessional hack by MS
Nah… if you understood any of this, you’d see that MS is giving xBox users (who may happen to own iPods) better usability. The products can interoperate, but Apple may further try to limit use of your purchased iPod by hiding behind the DMCA (as it does with Fairplay).
Think before you post. Thanks.
—–
> Malthus wrote: If Microsoft did this properly, Apple would probably be very welcoming….the prospect of them actually licensing AAC and Fairplay would be huge, and I’m sure Apple would be happy…
You’re sure of this?! Point to even a single source that makes this notion even remotely plausible!
Apple wants a complete lock-down on the iPod. They DO NOT want to license out their DRM. Furthermore, AAC is not licensed by Apple as you claim.
In fact, their Fairply DRM of AAC files has more to do with ensuring future sales of Apple products by locking the usability of its sold products (iPod/iTMS songs). You own the iPod, you bought the songs, you should be able to decide how to use it as you see fit.
In Apple’s case, the manage Fairplay to be the opposite Fair Use as much as possible.
Perhaps you should read up a bit more on the subject before blindly sharing your opinion.
—
My take:
Buy from any source.
Hack out the DRM.
Use it on any machine you see fit – whether it be an iPod or an xBox 360.
> cider wrote: it’s an unprofessional hack by MS
Nah… if you understood any of this, you’d see that MS is giving xBox users (who may happen to own iPods) better usability. The products can interoperate, but Apple may further try to limit use of your purchased iPod by hiding behind the DMCA (as it does with Fairplay).
Think before you post. Thanks.
—–
> Malthus wrote: If Microsoft did this properly, Apple would probably be very welcoming….the prospect of them actually licensing AAC and Fairplay would be huge, and I’m sure Apple would be happy…
You’re sure of this?! Point to even a single source that makes this notion even remotely plausible!
Apple wants a complete lock-down on the iPod. They DO NOT want to license out their DRM. Furthermore, AAC is not licensed by Apple as you claim.
In fact, their Fairply DRM of AAC files has more to do with ensuring future sales of Apple products by locking the usability of its sold products (iPod/iTMS songs). You own the iPod, you bought the songs, you should be able to decide how to use it as you see fit.
In Apple’s case, the manage Fairplay to be the opposite Fair Use as much as possible.
Perhaps you should read up a bit more on the subject before blindly sharing your opinion.
—
My take:
Buy from any source.
Hack out the DRM.
Use it on any machine you see fit – whether it be an iPod or an xBox 360.
Maybe Apple just isn’t willing to license Fairplay.
Apple is showing the traits of a much more devilish monopoly than Microsot is
Apple is just standing by its agreements with the music industry. It’s all about DRM. Why should Apple facilitate transferring iTMS-bought tracks to any unsecure fugly device?
Much ado about nothing. If Microsoft is going to interface the XBox with MP3 players at all, they’ll support anything they can with trivial effort, and that’s all that’s involved here – mounting an external drive, looking in a directory, and identifying the files you can play. Display unplayable ones as “disabled” – I suspect that it’d display any format it didn’t understand the same way.
Of course they’re going to include the iPod; there are a ton of them out there. I don’t see this as anything sinister at all.
>Less is More wrote: Apple is just standing by its agreements with the music industry.
The music industry is not insisting that only Apple products can play songs downloaded via iTMS.
>Why should Apple facilitate transferring iTMS-bought tracks to any unsecure fugly device?
Ummm… the iPod has just about zero security features. To some it’s pretty fugly. But Apple does facilitate trasnferring iTMS-bought tracks to it. Was that your point?
—
Random Coolzip wrote: …that’s all that’s involved here – mounting an external drive…
There is talk of Apple licensing the iPod interface itself. Imagine that, licensing that little connector. It’s a standard USB interface with a fancy end that any manufacturer can make. Why license it?
Maybe to further lock the iPod/iTMS combo and force you to buy an Apple product in the future.
>Less is More wrote: Apple is just standing by its agreements with the music industry.
The music industry is not insisting that only Apple products can play songs downloaded via iTMS.
>Why should Apple facilitate transferring iTMS-bought tracks to any unsecure fugly device?
Ummm… the iPod has just about zero security features. To some it’s pretty fugly. But Apple does facilitate trasnferring iTMS-bought tracks to it. Was that your point?
—
Random Coolzip wrote: …that’s all that’s involved here – mounting an external drive…
There is talk of Apple licensing the iPod interface itself. Imagine that, licensing that little connector. It’s a standard USB interface with a fancy end that any manufacturer can make. Why license it?
Maybe to further lock the iPod/iTMS combo and force you to buy an Apple product in the future.
>Less is More wrote: Apple is just standing by its agreements with the music industry.
The music industry is not insisting that only Apple products can play songs downloaded via iTMS.
>Why should Apple facilitate transferring iTMS-bought tracks to any unsecure fugly device?
Ummm… the iPod has just about zero security features. To some it’s pretty fugly. But Apple does facilitate trasnferring iTMS-bought tracks to it. Was that your point?
—
Random Coolzip wrote: …that’s all that’s involved here – mounting an external drive…
There is talk of Apple licensing the iPod interface itself. Imagine that, licensing that little connector. It’s a standard USB interface with a fancy end that any manufacturer can make. Why license it?
Maybe to further lock the iPod/iTMS combo and force you to buy an Apple product in the future.
If I were Apple, I’d let the xbox play AAC format. It can only extend the iPods reach.
Yeah, right.
Apple stops potential iPod – XBox connectivity…
Then Microsoft slows development of Office for the Mac.
It could happen.
It’s a win-win for Apple and Microsoft. MS could SURELY afford the authorization fees that Apple wants for the “Made for iPod” scam.. I mean strategy. Apple sells more iPods to the kids who own XBoxes.
Sounds like a no-brainer to me.
Did anyone catch the name of the article’s author?
Daniel TERDiman?
ROFLMFAO!
Why not just plug the ipod into your vcr or dvd player through the aux/audio jacks. Fark the xbox, PlayStation 3 will be unlike anything we’ve seen before.