“Growing up in a small town in southern Norway, Jon Lech Johansen loved to take things apart to figure out how they worked,” Robert Levine reports for Fortune.
Levine reports, “Johansen, now 22 and widely known as ‘DVD Jon’ for his exploits, has also figured out how Apple’s iPod-iTunes system works. And he’s using that knowledge to start a business that is going to drive Steve Jobs crazy.”
“If you want to be specific – and for legal reasons, he does – Johansen has reverse-engineered FairPlay, the encryption technology Apple uses to make the iPod a closed system,” Levine reports. “Right now, thanks to FairPlay, the songs Apple sells at its iTunes store cannot easily be played on other devices, and copy-protected songs purchased from other sites will not play on the iPod. (The iPod will play MP3 files, which do not have any copy protection, but major labels don’t sell music in that format.)”
Levine reports, “Johansen has written programs that get around those restrictions: one that would let other companies sell copy-protected songs that play on the iPod, and another that would let other devices play iTunes songs. Starting this fall, his new company, DoubleTwist, will license them to anyone who wants to get into the digital-music business – and doesn’t mind getting hate mail from Cupertino.”
“There’s an obvious question: Isn’t opening the iTunes system illegal? There is no obvious answer. FairPlay is not patented, most likely because the encryption algorithms it uses are in the public domain. (Apple would not comment for this story.) And Johansen says he is abiding by the letter of the law – if not, perhaps, its spirit,” Levine reports.
Levine reports, “To let other sites sell music that plays on the iPod, his program will ‘wrap’ songs with code that functions much like FairPlay. ‘So we’ll actually add copy protection,’ he says, whereas the DMCA prohibits removing it. Helping other devices play iTunes songs could be harder to justify legally, but he cites the DMCA clause that permits users, in some circumstances, to reverse-engineer programs to ensure ‘interoperability.'”
“Whatever Apple does, Johansen could have a hard time making DoubleTwist into a viable business. Companies could be reluctant to license Johansen’s software for fear of being sued along with DoubleTwist. And they might have a tough time convincing the major labels to let them sell their music, since the labels know how much that would upset Apple,” Levine reports.
Full article here.
Real (among others) already tried similar hacks and failed. Apple changed FairPlay and Real’s Harmony hack failed. You want your iTunes songs wthout DRM? Burn a CD. Apple already provides a sure-fire DRM removal method.
Related article:
DVD Jon reverse-engineers Apple’s FairPlay DRM, starts to license it – October 02, 2006
Navio threatens to hack Apple iTunes Music Store’s FairPlay DRM à la Real’s ‘Harmony’ – November 22, 2005
DVD Jon hacks Microsoft Windows Media Player file encryption – September 02, 2005
PC World review gives Real’s Rhapsody music service 2 stars out of 5; ‘just didn’t work’ – May 06, 2005
Time Magazine article about RealNetworks’ Rhapsody makes no sense – April 27, 2005
RealNetworks says ‘Harmony’ hack once again compatible with all Apple iPods – April 26, 2005
The Motley Fool: RealNetworks’ new Rhapsody ‘is still largely on the sidelines of the music war’ – April 26, 2005
RealNetworks launches new Rhapsody services, gives away 25 songs per month – April 26, 2005
Apple iTunes Music Store killer? Real expected to add subscriptions to Rhapsody music service – April 26, 2005
Resurrection Day comes quickly for PyMusique – March 22, 2005
The day the PyMusique died; Apple kills DVD Jon’s iTunes Music Store hack – March 21, 2005
‘PyMusique’ lets users buy songs without DRM from Apple’s iTunes Music Store – March 18, 2005
Real CEO Glaser calls Apple ‘deceptive’ with iTunes Music Store – March 07, 2005
Real CEO pitches to half empty room at tech symposium; Apple draws standing-room-only crowd – February 25, 2005
RealNetworks’ CEO Rob Glaser grabs 3 of top 10 spots on ‘Dumbest Moments in Business 2005’ list – January 31, 2005
RealNetworks ‘Harmony’ stops working on iPods but nobody notices for a month and a half – December 15, 2004
Bono-Glaser photo caption contest now open – October 25, 2004
Real’s CEO Glaser: ‘Harmony’ hack legal, Mac lovers are very sensitive to Apple criticism, and more – September 14, 2004
Analyst: Rob Glaser’s ill-advised war against Apple ‘is going to bite RealNetworks on the ass’ – August 30, 2004
RealNetwork’s CEO Glaser crashes Apple’s music party – July 30, 2004
Real CEO Glaser: Steve Jobs’ comments on Real ‘not succeeding’ are ‘ridiculously humorous’ – April 29, 2004
NY Times: Real CEO Glaser was close to having ‘iPod’ before Apple, but let it ‘slip through his fingers – April 24, 2004
Real’s CEO Glaser: Apple’s iPod/iTunes combo ‘threatens to turn off consumers’ – April 20, 2004
Jobs to Glaser: go pound sand – April 16, 2004
Real CEO Glaser begs Apple to make iPod play nice with other music services – March 24, 2004
Real CEO Glaser: ‘iTunes is only going to be used for playing songs you bought using the iTunes store – January 16, 2004
Actually, it may be in the best interest of Apple to allow DVD Jon to go forward and not interfere. Unlike the previous attempt by Real, DVD Jon is not in the media download business himself.
The purpose of the iTunes Store is to help sell iPods. More stores that support iPods means more iPods are being sold. I don’t think larger “general” stores (like Napster or Real) can compete with iTunes Store on price, features, and volume. That leaves the “niche” areas where Apple chooses not compete. For example, a store for small unknown artists without record lable contracts, to become better recognized while maintaining DRM control of their product. Another obvious example is porn, which Apple will never offer at the iTunes Store (but it’s obviously big Internet business).
So Apple can just ignore DVD Jon and let those “alternative” outlets help sell more iPods. If licensing becomes too successful in the general market, Apple can simply decide to officially license FairPlay.
This story was out a month ago. Why license something you can do without it. Like burn a CD.
I thought reverse engineering DRM was illegal besides.
Read about this a few weeks ago. Well, a blast from the past is always fun!
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“If this guy’s so flickin’ intelligent why dosen’t he just create something legal?”
Agree 100%. My company deals with affiliates from all over the world. You wouldn’t believe the elaborate attempts to circumvent our system to defraud us out of money by these people. If they only applied half that much effort to simply selling our products, they’d be making boatloads of money. Geez.
DVD John = not so brilliant.
If it can be made, it can be broken. Including FairPlay.
I know it’s unethical to say it, but the dude is a total bada$$!
I’m not sure if he’s more badbass or more DUMBass.
NOBODY with a brain is going to license his code. The lawyers WILL be coming, so why get pulled into it?
And as MDN pointed out, all Apple has to do is change FairPlay just a little, like they did with Real.
DVD Jon may be clever but he doesn’t know business. We’ll see how far his DRM-cracking empire goes.
JasonO: You clearly do not understand it.
The technology process described here does nothing to deny anyone on the content creation side their money. In fact, with an interoperable Fairplay, the result will be more content sales for those people to profit from. Recall, this DoubleTwist technology doesn’t strip Apple’s DRM away (thus any protections against piracy that Fairplay functionally provides is still there), instead DoubleTwist is code overlaying FairPlay that allows legal purchases from iTS to play on legally purchased devices other than iPod AS WELL AS legal purchases from sites others than iTS to play on a legally purchased iPod. No piracy is involved at any point.
Now, you could argue that Apple’s business might be harmed, as it is based on a closed, vertically integrated model. However, given that with DoubleTwist the iTS is now open to selling music to other devices besides iPod (thus driving up its sales), and that sales of iPod itself won’t be hindered by those not buying it b/c they don’t like iTS for some reason (indeed, iPods success is based on the device’s design & functionality more than anything), it would be difficult-to-impossible to prove any financial hardship claim for Apple.
And, factoring in a strict reading of the DCMA, as well as the fact that Fairplay itself is apparently (according to the article) not patented, Apple wouldn’t have a legal leg to stand on to fight this out in court in any case.
This situation shows DVD Jon is brilliant – and his abilites as a software coder have nothing to do with it. Just like Jobs did when he introduced the iPod/iTMS system, Jon has brilliantly recognized a better, legal way of giving customers something they can use, and something that will make the entire industry money for all the right reasons.
My hat’s off to him
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DVDJon is a good example of people getting fed up when they are told what to do with something they paid for. I don\’t care what the license says for music or movies, when they clamp down someone is bound to squeeze out. DRM has never sat well with me, but what he is doing now I couldn\’t care less about. He wants to sell DRM, in my opinion I\’d be happier if he just broke it. I\’d still buy from iTMS, it just saves me the trouble of ripping cd\’s (which I always make sure I do). None of my music from iTMS is DRM\’d, and I sure can\’t tell the difference in quality.
If DVDJon uses iTunes, then he has agreed not to reverse engineer it. He is in violation of the law and thus, his legal position is tenuous. It’s not hard to understand this, guys. It really isn’t. (And don’t say that he has never installed the program. How could you reverse engineer something without watching it in action? Please.)
The fact that Apple succeeds based on the free-will choices of people is no reason to hate the company. In other words, is it Apple’s fault that no other company can come up with something that’s better than iPod+iTunes? Arguing for “forcing open Fairplay” is like arguing for nationalizing oil fields. Both are based on the philosophy of “punishing the successful”; done often enough, the message becomes “don’t you dare succeed, or you’ll be punished for it.”
Couldn’t Apple just buy him off, or even hire him? I’m afraid that Apple, just like the recording industry, the movie studios, and everyone else, will have to evolve with the times and realize that as time goes on they’re becoming a bigger and bigger target for things like this.
um this is only going to help Apple.
iTunes led me to buy several iPods which led me to by a MAC.
The competitive hardware vendor who licenses this hack is going to find their customers going to iTunes for music, where they will be easily tempted to switch to the iPod.
as for iPod hardware, the software updates are now embedded into iTunes 7 so iPod hardware users will always be reminded to come back to iTunes.
All DVD Jon will do is cause his potential clients to hand over their customers to Apple
The iTunes+iPod synergy is a branding play, it has little to do with inter-operability. I don’t think competitors will want to invest 1 red cent into Apples iPod+iTunes brand.
anyway…”thanks Jon”
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